Artificial Intelligence and the way forward

We definitely are living in intriguing times.

The Industrial revolutions enabled us humans to instigate and also experience technology change. However, we are now facing a unique age of digital transformation where, accompanied by autonomous and intelligent machines we have the prospect to discover and even formalise new opportunities that only Artificial Intelligence (AI) and, autonomous intelligent machines can fashion, instigate and create. It is therefore important to acknowledge how the expertise of several university academics in relation to Artificial Intelligence such as that of Dr Patrick Camilleri from the Faculty of Education is also being recognised and availed of, outside the University of Malta.

As a digital pedagogist, Dr Patrick Camilleri focuses on how people can be motivated to perceive, embrace and constructively take advantage and benefit from digitally mediated transformation and change. Subsequently his continuous motivation to learn and enhance his awareness within the field of digital education and the ensuing recognition of his work has been instrumental to actively involve him in several formal, educational and general
informative digitally related activities.

In May this was opportune for him to subsequently design and carry out three sessions on the employment of AI in Education with Maltese STEM teachers. He has and is still actively involved in working alongside educators in several institutions and schools on how to embrace and constructively use Generative AI within formal educational settings. This also enabled the opportunity for Dr Camilleri to be invited and participate in high level talks on AI and Education by leading professionals in the field of AI.

In the last few months, he has been requested on several occasions to participate on: Television and Radio programs dealing with the future of work and AI. Lately he presented one of his latest research initiatives about teachers’ perceptions towards Generative AI use, at the WALS (World Association of Lesson Studies) Conference in Hiroshima. Like in previous occasions, he has also been invited at the TECHXPO; the national technology expo organised by the Ministry for Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects; where, with other panellists, he discussed the future of AI-use and work. He has actively participated on several expert panel talks that dealt with AI instigated issues. This also included a very significant discussion on the latest AI-Act, incidentally the first-ever formal legal framework that addresses the risks of AI, invariably positioning Europe as a leading global authority within the appropriate employment of the technology in question.

Recently, he was also invited as a keynote speaker where he discussed the future of AI and Education at the Europass Annual Conference 2025, organised by EUPA Malta. All of this invariably spells a fruitful, constructive educational work learning experience. However, it also acts as a motivation in Dr Camilleri’s efforts to personally learn more while ensuring that he discerns the best ways to educate, communicate and translate this to others.