Whizz for whizzy technology
Liam Goodger says artificial intelligence could be used in many Nelson workplaces. Photo: Jack Malcolm.
A Nelson College graduate is cracking the code for helping Nelson Tasman better understand a technology that is growing in influence worldwide.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the term for computational methods and techniques that solve problems, make decisions or perform tasks that, if performed by humans, would require thought.
The growth in its use is being helped by the convergence of advances in storage technology, computers, and the internet.
Liam Goodger, who jets off to America’s Show Me State, Missouri, in August to pursue a computer science degree and compete in football, is currently a coordinator of a newly-established site to get the public up to speed with the technology.
Nelson AI Sandbox in the central city was established in March to provide AI guidance for the community.
“Mostly, my role [at Nelson AI Sandbox] is to talk to people about AI, the risks involved with it, the tools that they can use to help themselves and just everything that they can do with AI to be ahead of the game, compared to the rest of the world,” Liam says.
“Any repetitive, menial tasks that we’re doing, AI is really good at doing those tasks and freeing up time to focus on pursuits that people enjoy… I think AI can be used in pretty much every workplace in Nelson.
“We’ve had a lot of positive reactions from people coming in, a lot of people are really interested in AI and what we’re doing here at the Sandbox, so it’s been a great public response so far.”
Liam says one of his teachers at Nelson College, Richard Brudvik-Lindner, who co-founded Nelson AI Sandbox, started up his AI fascination.
“We had a big discussion on AI and where it would go in Year 10… and then with ChatGPT coming out in 2022, it got a lot of people interested,” he says.
“It has really just grown from there, especially in the last six months as I’ve been diving further into what AI can actually do.”
The 18-year-old says Nelson AI Sandbox also allows him to demonstrate that AI isn’t code black.
“As with any tool, there are negative uses for it, we’re not here to tell people that AI is only for good because AI can obviously be used for bad purposes as well.
“I think it’s just about recognising what those purposes are, and how AI can be used to hurt people, and being aware of that so that you can protect yourself from that in the future.”