The ABC and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society (ADM+S) at QUT have teamed up to pitch two session proposals to be included in the upcoming South By Southwest Sydney Conference taking place October 15-22.
SXSW brings together inspired thinkers, creators and innovators in tech and innovation, games, music and screen from around the world to experience the latest in forward-thinking ideas within their industry and unlock the unexpected discoveries made possible when a diverse range of topics converge on stage.
To help determine the conference line-up each year, SXSW calls for submissions of session proposals on which the SXSW community then gets to vote.
This year SXSW Sydney received more than 1400 proposals from around Australia and the world.
Voting is open until 11.59pm on Tuesday 11 April. Voters receive five votes but only one vote per proposal is permitted. Successful sessions will be included in SXSW Sydney.
The ABC and ADM+S have proposed the following two panel sessions for inclusion:
What AI-generated news could mean for human-produced journalism (Media Industry track) Speakers: Silvia Montaña-Niño (ADM+S at QUT), Stuart Watt (ABC), Michael Collett (ABC), Gareth Seneque (ABC)
ChatGPT has shown AI-generated news content is no far-flung fantasy. Algorithms have long determined which stories get recommended to people based on their interests, but now AI can create content itself. It can also interact with users and answer their questions in a “human-like” manner.
However, the way ChatGPT works, from its data collection processes to its opaque machine training models, raises crucial questions for news organisations willing to use this technology to produce and distribute news.
A panel of journalists, scholars and technologists will discuss the trends and challenges of AI-generated news and what it means for the future of journalism.
Read more and vote for this panel here
Islands in the Streaming: Local Content Discovery in a Global Market (Streaming Industry track) Speakers: Ramon Lobato (ADM+S at RMIT), Kylie Pappalardo (ADM+S at QUT), Nick Hayden (ABC), Alexandra Hay (ABC)
In the age of video streaming, content discovery is now a crucial strategic space for screen industries. The battle to capture attention is fierce, with streaming platforms, device makers and technology all playing a critical role in shaping the content we watch. But what about local and public benefit storytelling — how can it cut through in a world dominated by tech-driven giants?
Read more and vote for this panel here
Stuart Watt, ABC Head of Output & Distribution, said the rapidly unfolding developments in AI presented both opportunities and challenges for journalism.
“While the labour-saving possibilities are exciting, the prospect of misinformation and the further erosion of trust in our profession is daunting,” he said.
“We need to grapple with these challenges and find ways to use this emerging technology so it enhances our journalism rather than diminishes it.”
Dr Silvia Montaña-Niño, from the ADM+S at QUT, said SXSW was a perfect public space to discuss the challenges news organisations have when using AI.
“Journalists and scholars right now have many questions about how the recent developments in generative AI will impact how they work and what are the new responsibilities with the use of these technologies,” she said.
Media contact: Sally Jackson | ABC Communications | [email protected]