University of Liverpool AI experts are set to play a key role in shaping the future development and responsible adoption of artificial intelligence across the Liverpool City Region.
Professor Katie Atkinson, Professor of Computer Science, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Co-lead of the University’s AI for Life research frontier, has been appointed by Mayor Steve Rotheram to the new Liverpool City Region AI Task Force.
The Task Force brings together 15 senior leaders from academia, industry, healthcare, public services and technology to help shape the City Region’s ambition to become a global leader in ‘AI for Good’. It will advise on the development and use of AI to support inclusive economic growth, strengthen public services and improve the lives of people across the region.
Professor Atkinson has more than 20 years’ experience of foundational and interdisciplinary research in artificial intelligence, with expertise in explainable AI, computational models of argument and AI and law.
Alongside the Task Force, an AI Academic Community of Practice is being established to bring together academic expertise from across the region and provide research, evidence and insight to support the responsible adoption of AI.
University of Liverpool academics Professor Iain Buchan, Dr Maria Limniou and Professor Andy Levers OBE have been appointed to the Community of Practice, where they will contribute expertise spanning health data science, cyberpsychology, digital engineering and autonomous systems.
Professor Iain Buchan, W.H. Duncan Chair in Public Health Systems and Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Innovation, is a public health physician and data scientist whose work focuses on harnessing data and technology to improve health and wellbeing. He also co-leads the University’s AI for Life Research Frontier.
Dr Maria Limniou, Senior Lecturer in Cyberpsychology, conducts research spanning cyberlearning, digital behaviour, online communication and human interaction with technology. Her expertise includes AI strategy, AI literacy and the responsible use of technology across areas including education, health and cybersecurity.
Professor Andy Levers OBE, Executive Director of the Institute of Digital Engineering and Autonomous Systems (IDEAS), connects research in AI, robotics, autonomous systems and digital engineering with industry, public-sector and regional challenges.
The appointments build on the University’s growing contribution to the City Region’s AI ecosystem and its partnerships with civic, public-sector and industry organisations to translate advances in AI into economic and societal benefit.
Professor Atkinson said:
“With the advancement and roll out of AI visibly increasing, the establishment of the Liverpool City Region AI Taskforce comes at an important moment. It is essential that the deployment of AI tools is undertaken in a responsible, inclusive manner, so as to meet a wide range of societal needs for citizens and businesses. This aim is characterised in Mayor Rotherham’s ‘AI for Good’ agenda for LCR and I am delighted that the range of expertise that we have within the university on AI topics is being brought to the new AI Task Force and AI Academic Community of Practice, to put the vision into action.”
The AI Task Force will meet for the first time following the Liverpool City Region AI Summit in October.
Download our online brochure to discover more about AI innovations at Liverpool, or visit the AI for Life frontier webpage.