Keynote address by Sydney Swaine-Simon
District 3 Founding Member
Dawson AI Advisory Board

Convocation 2019 – June 18, 2019

Thank you. Graduating Class of Dawson, today we celebrate a big milestone in your personal journey. For many, it is a transition to university where you will continue your studies in a field that you are passionate about. For others, you may be ending your academic career to join the work force. Some of you already know what you want to do for work. For others, you are still unsure. Thirteen years ago, when I was finishing cegep, I had no idea what I wanted to do. At the time, I remember feeling hopeless that I didn’t have any good employment prospects and there was a good chance that I would be stuck in a dead end job. In fact, it took another seven years before my life started to go in a positive direction.

The only thing I was sure of was at the time was that I was passionate about having a positive impact on society. What I eventually discovered is that technology is a great way to make that impact. When I got started, I did not really know what Artificial Intelligence or Neuro Technology was and the concepts seemed like science fiction. I was afraid that I was not smart enough to get involved. However, I was relieved to learn that anybody can participate in these fields as long as you have the time and determination.

Why I’m here

Many of you likely don’t know who I am nor honestly really care. I remember when I was at my cegep graduation, I was bored out of my mind waiting for the speeches to finish so I could receive my degree and start partying with my friends. However, I do have an important message for those who are unsure about your future and how you can contribute to society.

Dawson invited to speak to you today and share my insights on what the future of humanity will look like when emerging technologies like AI will grow to play a big role in the way we socialize, do our jobs, manage our health and entertain ourselves. For the past six years, I’ve immersed myself in these different technologies and have developed insights on where our role will be.

Personally, I found that the best way for me to be involved was to either create or support humanitarian or non-profit technology organizations.

One of the initiatives I’ve worked on was in co-creating a non profit called NeuroTechX, where we created education and community resources for 10,000 people in our network who are passionate about the field of NeuroTechnology.

You may have heard of terms like MRI, EEG, Brain Computer Interfaces and this is what primarily interests our group. My first-hand experience of engaging with thousands of people Interested in the field showed me how many are using this technology to improve themselves and others.

People are using it as a way to learn to meditate, diagnose different brain abnormalities and help them manage their ADHD. I’ve seen first-hand how people can go from having zero knowledge in neuro technology to becoming leaders in the field in less than two years. I’ve also been fortunate to be involved in running events like the Biohacking village, an annual conference where people from across the world come together to share their amazing and somewhat controversial projects that drive humanity to integrate technology into their bodies.

For example, I have gotten the chance to meet and befriend people, such as Rich Lee who installed magnets in his ear to help him hear better, and Amal Graafstra who manufacturers and sells rfid chips that you implant into your hand.

Finally, my involvement with the AI XPRIZE and District 3, has given me the opportunity to work and support multiple companies that are using Artificial Intelligence to make the world a better place.

For example, one company we supported called Ubenwa is creating an AI algorithm to detect if a baby is suffering from birth asphyxia, a condition which kills two million babies every year.

Another company we supported is Aifred, which 3 years ago, was a bunch of undergraduate students in neuroscience interested in using AI. Today, they are world leaders on how it can be used to find better treatment options for those who are suffering from depression.

These different technologies made average, everyday people become leaders in a short period of time. It provided an opportunity for many to make a better life for themselves and help find them find a purpose. For those in the crowd who are unsure of what career path to take, getting involved in fields like AI will provide great job opportunities for you in the future.

Impact of Technology

However, I am also afraid that the technology I’m involved with can intentionally or unintentionally cause harm to society.

There are those that believe that technologies like Artificial Intelligence will automate all jobs and make many of us unemployed. There are others who believe that this technology will increase inequality as it will primarily benefit the rich and powerful. There are some that are afraid that the AI systems we build are going to be inherently biased and negatively impact those in society who are already marginalized.

All of these scenarios are likely to happen to an extent and it will require many us, and most likely quite a few people in this room, to help ensure that technology does not negatively impact our lives. Future Social Scientists, ethicists, philosophers will be needed to help drive constructive conversations around ethics and how we should use these technologies.

However, for some, they try to focus on the positive impact it will have on society. Many believe that AI will only replace the work that no one wants to do, leaving jobs that are primarily creative, analytical and focused on soft skills, such as empathy.

Will AI lead to a great intellectual and creative boom or will most of us be unemployed relying on a universal basic income to survive? It’s impossible to say. Whatever future you want to believe in, the most important thing for you to do now is to prepare yourself to become someone who can adapt to it.

Many believe that the best way to prepare for the future is to learn how to become life-long learners. For example, I’ve known many people who, once they got a full time job, they stopped developing new skills and put themselves at risk of not being employable in the future.

Your journey in learning will most likely never end, and it will be important for you to develop new skills and knowledge regularly.

In the history of humanity, we have made substantial progress in a short period of time. For Example, in 1917 it would take 3-5 months to go from London to Australia whereas today we can get a direct flight there and arrive within a day. It’s my belief that humanity will continue to advance rapidly with new technologies, which is why it’s important to stay ahead of the curve and not get left behind.

How to Get Started

Now I’m not urging everyone here to become an engineer. The world will continue to need artists, entertainers, doctors and CEO’s. However technologies like AI can help you in doing your job better. Therefore it’s important to keep up to date on technology trends.

For those who do want to go into the field of AI or Neurotech, there are many ways for you to learn. There are abundant resources found online on MOOCS. There are many technology communities for you to connect with others and there are a growing number of tech start-ups to join where you can practice your skills. I understand that sometimes working with technology can be a stressful and frightening process. It can be complex, hard to get started in and if you are in a learning environment that is critical and not supportive, it may dissuade you from joining. However, I promise you that there are a lot of people out there who would love to help you and invite you to participate in working with technology.

So Graduating Class of Dawson, do not fear the future, but plan for it. Get excited by the opportunities technology can provide and use it as a way to expand the impact you can have on this planet.

Thank you.