More than five lessons

Enter machine learning and the capacity to collect large amounts of data and all of a sudden the computer science and cultural heritage communities seem to be arriving at the same point.  Is what we are doing and how we are doing it ok?   Well, no not really, in my view, but there are… Continue reading More than five lessons

Responsible Operations: Deep Commitment and Social Tensions

The Responsible Operations: Data Science, Machine Learning, and AI in Libraries report authored by Thomas Padilla and published by OCLC meets the pudding test.  A foundational piece of research outlining seven professional challenges to ethical approaches (and practical steps forward) to using computational methods in library practice.   Committing to Responsible Operations Description and Discovery… Continue reading Responsible Operations: Deep Commitment and Social Tensions

World Views, Culture, Ethics and AI

My current preoccupation is looking into how and where AI fits into cultural heritage practice and humanities research.  Drawing from a range of views on data and AI is paying off. This week’s mix was: An interview with Genevieve Bell from the 3AI Institute at the Australian National University by Jay Hasbrouck on Anthropology, cybernetics,… Continue reading World Views, Culture, Ethics and AI

Trust… and AI? No smoke without fire.

Trying to understand what artificial intelligence is and how machine learning works is a long game (for this library and information scientist).  Linking that new technical knowledge with questions around ethics and social impact is critical, but it is hard going and also a bit unnerving.  After having read some of Kate Crawford’s research over… Continue reading Trust… and AI? No smoke without fire.

Fantastic Futures: Artificial intelligence and Cultural Heritage

What is the impact of artificial intelligence on GLAM (or digital cultural heritage) collecting and practice?   It is worth retracing the theme set for the plenary sessions from the 2019 Fantastic Futures conference on AI for Libraries, Archives, and Museums held at Stanford University recently to frame more detailed questions and get closer to… Continue reading Fantastic Futures: Artificial intelligence and Cultural Heritage

Why use machine learning in cultural heritage and humanities research?

Most stories start at the beginning, however this story is going to start at the end. This first post was going to be a reflection on machine learning and the use of TensorFlow – a software library used for machine learning applications like neural networks. This was to follow from attending a pre-conference workshop delivered… Continue reading Why use machine learning in cultural heritage and humanities research?