(Re)discovering Technology Research - AI Privacy

Joy in work is such a heady experience. It’s always be important to me that I find joy and excitement in the work that I do, that my work is meaningful and has the potential to have an impact on the world. Not that there won’t be some manageable tax - some small portion that I’d really rather wish away, but can only really optimise, e.g. reporting admin. The intensity of the high I’ve drawn from the Artificial Intelligence Seminar paper that I’ve been working on over the past couple of months has actually surprised, even me. It was surprising because I knew I would enjoy it because these kinds of topics delight me and thinking about how we can leverage them to improve the way we work, live, play and do business energies. I just didn't expect it to be like being in a chocolaterie, every time I go into it. The paper focuses on leveraging blockchain to enhance the privacy of artificial intelligence. Really delving deep into the opportunities and complexities that AI presents, considering the specific challenges to privacy that derive from the essence of how AI works and looking at how the unique functions of blockchain could protect privacy while enabling the successful training of AI algorithms has been exciting and has presented me with more lessons than I expected to learn, and a new perspective on opportunity. This kind of rhapsodic brain stimulation reminded me of the time New Technology Innovation was part of our daily bread - working with brilliant minds like Varaidzo Audrey Mureriwa, Ntefeleng Nene, Tharina Gombault, Dr Mosima Mabunda, Boitumelo Ngwato, John Mannion, Dobyl Malubane and many others under the astute leadership of Livingstone Chilwane, Vukani Mngxati and Edmund Gardner. There is euphory to be had in working on the cutting edge of topics that are going to shape the world we live in…the world we’ll hand over to our children. I have also been reminded me of the incredible work that academics do that a lot of us benefit from daily, work that we don’t always have the opportunity to directly recognise and appreciate. This has added profoundly to the immense respect that I have for academics.

I’m looking forward to, hopefully, presenting the work I have just submitted towards the end of this month and continuing to do work in impactful, relevant areas that will help us hand over a balanced world to the next generation. I am also looking forward to sharing some of the insights gained here.

I decided at the beginning of this year, that 2023 would be the year of gratitude for me. This is one of the things I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to do. Let’s keep finding the joy in work and keep the big picture in mind - we're handing over an entire planet to others. Our choices and decisions matter.

This article was originally posted on LinkedIn in June 2023. 

Picture credit: I wanted an image created using generative AI. I asked Bing Image Creator to create a picture of artificial intelligence and privacy for me. Some academics might object to the some cliches in it, but alas. ​

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