Abstract - Coghlan & Parker

What’s artificial intelligence got to do with animals? 

 Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping human societies — but what might it mean for animals? This presentation explores how emerging AI technologies could impact on nonhuman lives, for better and for worse. After a brief introduction to the nature of modern AI systems, we will examine their implications across key domains: 

 

 Animal agriculture and intensive farming 

 Veterinary medicine and animal healthcare 

 Decoding animal communication 

 Generative AI in text, images, and video 

 Social media recommenders and their ripple effects 

 Citizen science initiatives 

 Conservation and wildlife management  

 

 The presentation will also consider ethical and legal frameworks, codes, and guardrails for AI and ask how animals might be included within them. Attendees will gain an overview of how this powerful technology could affect not only human lives but also the lives of other sentient beings. 

 Dr Simon Coghlan Senior Lecturer in the School of Computing and Information Systems (CIS) University of Melbourne 

 Prof Christine Parker Professor of Law University of Melbourne