Models, Means and Machines

We often assume we know what intelligence is, until we try to define it. Is it problem-solving? Learning? Creativity? Or something more subtle, like adaptation, communication, or the ability to navigate complex environments? From animal cognition to collective behaviours in nature, intelligence appears in forms very different from our own. At the same time, artificial intelligence systems are becoming increasingly capable, producing language, decisions, and behaviours that feel strikingly human. But are they truly intelligent, or simply convincing? This talk challenges the idea that intelligence is uniquely human, clearly defined, or even something we fully understand. By placing human, non-human, and artificial intelligence side by side, it asks a deeper question: If intelligence can take many forms, biological, collective, or artificial, are we ready to recognise it when it no longer looks like us?

Think a coin toss is always 50/50? Think again! Data suggests that the chance of getting tails in a coin toss is actually 60%. But is that the full story? Join us for a lively dive into the weird and wonderful world of data, where numbers can mislead as easily as they inform.
Explore why it's important to look at the full picture with a critical eye to see the truth behind the statistics. And discover some real life examples of how data misinterpretation can result in shocking, yet untrue, claims and headlines!

Imagine you are boarding a plane, setting off on summer holiday. If we told you that the plane was tested virtually using a computer, would you get on it? You may hesitate, but the future is heading this way! Come along to hear about how engineers test their designs, how they measure how confident they are in these tests and decide whether you'd be happy to board a plane that had been tested virtually!