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