Speech by the Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation and Technology, Demetris Skourides Learning Innovation Summit 2024 | University of Nicosia 13 September 2024
Speech by the Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation and Technology, Demetris Skourides
Learning Innovation Summit 2024 | University of Nicosia
13 September 2024
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Distinguished guests and speakers,
It is a great honor to be here with you and to participate in a summit that aspires to be at the forefront of this exciting journey. This conference is intended in facilitating learning, knowledge and I look forward to the initiative bearing fruit, having a positive impact on both the participants and Cyprus’ educational environment.
As the Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation, and Technology of Cyprus and the President of the Research and Innovation Foundation, I want to reassure you that improving the education system, as well as providing all necessary support to our country’s younger generation, teachers, and academic staff, is amongst my top priorities. Our immediate goal is to explore and harness the potential of AI to enhance learning experiences and improve the quality of our education system, making it accessible to every citizen of Cyprus and to that extend as Technology and AI strategist, myself and Deputy Minister Nicodemos Damianou are working tirelessly to prepare Cyprus for the adoption of Artificial intelligence inline with the EU AI ACT.
A few years ago, the world was taken by surprise when Covid arrived. As nations around the world went on lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID, we all feared for our lives, and those of our loved ones. Technology was a linchpin, an enabler for our survival, it helped us work remotely, it helped us connect with others, it enabled us to order food and groceries and kept us informed on how our country was progressing in the fight against the invisible threat “covid” It was during the peak of the pandemic that many of us including myself had the opportunity to engage with online learning platforms as means of pursuing personal development. Since 2020, not only has the world changed, so has the data created. Just imagine that then the total amount of data created amounted to 64 Zetabytes, an equivalent of 21 billion of images stored digitally, or 427million of xrays stored digitally. By 2025, the amount of data is expected to grow up to 180 zetabytes, 3X compared to the data available in 2022. The emergence of new technologies such as GenAI has caught the world by storm. In 2 months, ChatGPT reached 100m users, and doing so it’s adoption was 10 X faster than the adoption of the mobile phones post Apple’s iconic launch of the iPhone in 2007.
Technology has helped us move from an era where the amount of data, location, and ability to memorize was important. As we speak billions of people now have access to infinite data, knowledge, information in their palm, and have become explorers of information. We have transitioned to an era where speed, ability to learn, re-learn and interprete information, act decisively is even more important.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Artificial Intelligence is not only reshaping education, it is a technology expected to cause a paradigm shift with respect to how work is being performed also transforming the workplace environment. Institutions like Harvard, Stanford and MIT, as well as consultants such as BCG and Mckiney, acknowledge AI’s role in the workplace, with some indicating it could increase employee productivity by up to 40%. Others suggest that employees with AI skills may see a 30% salary increase. Additionally, the transformative impact of AI on ICT jobs promotes the integration of Artificial Intelligence into the Information, Communication and Technology sector. This widespread transformation is expected to affect over 91.5% of ICT job roles, with these positions experiencing either high or moderate levels of change due to advancements in AI, emphasizing its pervasive impact.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not just a buzzword; it is a transformative force that is reshaping the way we learn, teach, and interact. I am delighted to share that AI has arrived in Cyprus and the rate of adoption across private industries and research organizations is growing fast. With more than 50 organizations, and startups in industries such as healthcare where organizations such as the Insititute of Neurology and Genetics, Biobank Cyprus, the German oncology, are embracing it in their everyday research. The Phaethon CoE, Cyprus Institute, Koios CoE, and local innovation companies such as EnergyIntl are all actively leveraging AI in their research on energy. As we speak, the shipping, retail, fintech industry and research organizations are actively researching, exploring, and using AI in selected areas of their business , the rate of adoption of artificial intelligence is progressing fast, by the end of 2024, we anticipate to also make Cyprus’s first AI chatbot assistant available to all citizens on egov.cy. AI is already transforming education with benefits including the ability to support personalized learning for every student, providing support for teachers, enhancing educators ability to focus on students special needs, obtain data insights and engage with, and motivate students more effectively, making learning accessible 24 X 7. In education, we expect AI to have a transformative effect in the mid-to-long-term with new the progress of Personalized Learning, revolutionizing personalized learning by tailoring educational experiences to meet the unique needs of each student. Adaptive learning platforms are expected to create new learning opportunities by being able to analyze students’ strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles, adjusting content and pace of learning accordingly ensuring that every student receives the support they need to succeed, making learning more engaging and effective, available on 24 hour-7 days basis.
AI will become a partner, a supportive agent for teachers, enabling teachers and edcuators to be more productive by automating administrative and time-consuming tasks such as grading and providing customized feedback. AI will enable teachers to focus their time and attention in inspiring and guiding students. Intelligent tutoring systems will create new opportunities offering one-on-one support, simulating human tutors and providing instant feedback setting a new paradigm shift enabling an Always-on tutor, and mentor model intermediating large amount of students with educators, allowing seamless access to educators as chatbots handle over queries, decision, events, and interventions to teachers. AI will help educators identify faster learning difficulties and make available approaching teaching content and modules to help students with learning disabilities more engaging and impactful. A personalized approach has the potential to ensure that every student, regardless of their abilities, can thrive in an inclusive educational environment. Policy makers, schools, educators will be able to leverage
Data-Driven Insights, powered by the capability to analyze vast amounts of data identifying patterns and trends in student performance will create game-changing opportunities that will provide informed insight on how content is produced and consumed. In addition, Teachers will be able to leverage such insights to understand how each student is progressing and where they may need additional help. The ability to have targeted interventions and providing support, will create further value for our society as we ensure that no student is left behind. By providing content that is relevant and appropriately challenging, AI can help keep students engaged and motivated. Gamification elements, such as rewards and progress tracking, can also be integrated to make learning more enjoyable. Ofcourse all these transformations by AI in education should be governed by the UNESCO 2021 Recommendation on Ethics on AI. o
Dear Guests,
We are already witnessing the impact of AI in learning, with AI contributing to the creation of personalized learning pathways and intelligent tutoring systems, making learning more accessible, engaging, and effective. Today, AI is used in next-generation platforms to provide students with tailored experiences that accelerate their development, enhance their expertise, and challenge their existing skills.
Seizing the full potential of AI while striking the right balance between maintaining digital trust and fostering technological innovation is our key challenge and priority. To this end, the EU has recently introduced the AI Act, the first ever comprehensive legal framework on AI worldwide, aimed at fostering trustworthy, human-centric AI solutions. Following a risk-based approach, the legislation sets clear requirements and obligations regarding AI development, deployment and use, so as to ensure AI systems respect fundamental rights, safety and ethical principles. In simple terms, the AI Act aspires to assure us that we can trust what AI has to offer.
Given the rapid adoption of AI-enabled technologies across business application , I am confident that the day when every working professional will have AI “superpower’ is fast approaching.
I would like to assure you of our commitment to advancing research and developing ethical, inclusive, and effective AI solutions that empower both learners and educators. I believe that together under the stewardship of the Ministry of Education, we can shape an educational landscape where technology and artificial intelligence enable, equip, empower every individual with the opportunities to thrive.
Concluding, I would like to congratulate the organizers, speakers, panelists, and every one of you for participating in this seminar
Thank you.