Fundamentals of Generative AI (GenAI) for engineers
This introductory session will explore the transformative potential of Generative AI (GenAI) within the engineering sector. Attendees will gain a foundational understanding of GenAI and its evolution and be introduced to Large Language Models (LLMs), examining their purpose and function, current capabilities, significant challenges and high-level examples of their applications in engineering practices.
The opening speaker will address critical challenges and considerations surrounding GenAI, including ethical implications, biases, technical limitations, security concerns, and the importance of regulatory standards in this evolving field.
Engineers Australia’s General Manager, Policy and Advocacy, Jenny Mitchell will also present findings from a recent report on how AI, particularly GenAI, is transforming the engineering profession and workforce.
This presentation will cover the role of GenAI in enhancing productivity, the shared responsibility of developing AI skills, and the importance of fostering a culture of openness and experimentation with AI technologies. The webinar will highlight evaluation metrics and insights into future trends, providing attendees with a clear understanding of the developing landscape of GenAI.
Who should attend?
This session is relevant to all engineers interested in developing their fundamental understanding of GenAI and decision-makers looking to develop their understanding of the capabilities and risks of GenAI.
This webinar will form part of an ongoing series of webinars focusing on Artificial Intelligence in Engineering.
Learning outcomes
In this presentation, you will learn:
- introductory principles of Generative AI
- to examine the foundational concepts and functionalities through an engineering lens
- high-level insights into practical implementations to evaluate the challenges and limitations of current technologies.
About the Speaker
General Manager Policy & Public Affairs , Engineers Australia
Jenny Mitchell is the General Manager, Policy & Advocacy at Engineers Australia, overseeing public policy and advocacy since July 2023. She has 20 years of experience in sectors such as space, education, science, and resources. Previously, she was the Director of Civil Space Policy at the Australian Space Agency, shaping the future direction of Australian space policy, programs and workforce development. Jenny is a skilled policy and public sector executive with more than a decade of leadership and experience across complementary areas such as space, tertiary education and skills, science and research, innovation and entrepreneurship and the resources sector. Jenny holds an Executive Master of Public Administration through the Australia and New Zealand School of Government and was awarded the KPMG Prize for Designing Policies and Programs. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) from the University of Melbourne. Immediately prior to her work at the Australian Space Agency, Jenny held a senior adviser role supporting the Hon. Jenny Macklin to lead the Skills for Victoria review for the Victorian Government.
Executive Director, Melbourne Connect
Eduard Hovy is the Executive Director of Melbourne Connect (a research and tech transfer centre at the University of Melbourne), Professor at the University of Melbourne’s School of Computing and Information Systems and Research Professor at the Language Technologies Institute in the School of Computer Science. In 2020–21 he served as Program Manager in DARPA’s Information Innovation Office (I2O), where he managed programs in Natural Language Technology and Data Analytics. Dr. Hovy completed a Ph.D. in Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence) at Yale University in 1987 and was awarded honorary doctorates from the National Distance Education University (UNED) in Madrid in 2013 and the University of Antwerp in 2015. Prof. Hovy is one of the initial 17 Fellows of the Association for Computational Linguistics (ACL) and is also a Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI). He regularly co-taught Ph.D.-level courses and has served on Advisory and Review Boards for both research institutes and funding organizations in Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Ireland, Singapore, and the USA.
