Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Ethics Committee
The Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Ethics Committee within the Australian Computer Society (ACS) represents a beacon of ethical guidance and responsible AI development in Australia. Comprised of esteemed professionals, ethicists, researchers, and industry leaders, this committee is dedicated to addressing the ethical implications and societal impacts of AI technologies.
In an era where AI systems are increasingly integrated into various aspects of daily life, it is imperative to ensure that these technologies are developed and deployed ethically and responsibly. The ACS AI Ethics Committee serves as a platform for critical dialogue, thoughtful analysis, and proactive measures to promote ethical AI practices.
The primary mission of the AI Ethics Committee is to establish guidelines, principles, and frameworks that govern the development, deployment, and use of AI technologies in Australia. By examining ethical considerations such as fairness, transparency, accountability, privacy, and bias, the committee seeks to mitigate potential risks and maximize the societal benefits of AI.
Through collaborative efforts with stakeholders from academia, industry, government, and civil society, the AI Ethics Committee fosters a culture of responsible AI innovation. Its initiatives encompass a wide range of activities, including educational programs, policy advocacy, and research endeavours aimed at promoting awareness and understanding of ethical issues in AI.
The ACS AI Ethics Committee is committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct in AI development and deployment. By fostering dialogue, transparency, and accountability, the committee strives to ensure that AI technologies are aligned with societal values and contribute positively to human well-being and flourishing
MACS Snr - CP
Professor Simeon Simoff
Chair - AI Ethics Committee
Professor Simeon Simoff is the Dean of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics at Western Sydney University. Prior to this, he was a Professor of Information Technology at UTS. He has held academic positions at the University of Sydney, University of Bolzano-Bozen and Ecole Polytechnique de l'Université de Nantes. He is known for his transdisciplinary research, which links data science, human-machine interaction, design computing and intelligent virtual reality. His current research and development interests are in visual analytics, insights and discoveries, cognitive algorithms, and believability in AI.
MACS
Dr Mark Pedersen
Vice - Chair
Dr Mark Pedersen is the CTO at KJR, one of Australia’s leading Software Quality Engineering Consultancies and a leading practitioner in Responsible AI implementation. With a PhD in AI focusing on natural language processing and a background in safety critical systems, Mark has been working at the confluence of AI and software quality, reliability and safety for the majority of his career. He has extensive consulting experience across a range of industry sectors, including government, health, finance, telecommunications, transport, and utilities. Mark has a deep commitment to continuous improvement across the technology sector, having developed and delivering a wide range of professional training courses for the software quality industry, as well as chairing leading industry conferences and forums.
As the CTO at KJR, Mark works closely with both technical and business stakeholders to identify and enable the adoption of new technologies while a minimising risk and maximising benefit. And, as a world-class software risk analyst and advisor, he thrives on the satisfaction of bettering lives with technology that actually works.
AACS
Ms Aurelie Jacquet
Member
Aurélie is an independent consultant who advises ASX 20 companies on the responsible implementation of AI, and she also works as Principal Research Consultant on Responsible AI for CSIRO-DATA61. She is a member of the NSW AI Assurance Committee, of the UNSW AI Institute Advisory Board, and the co-chair of Australia Computer Society’s AI Ethics Committee.
She leads multiple global responsible AI initiatives with ISO, WEF and the OECD, shaping emerging AI standards, certifications and AI governance best practices/frameworks. She also worked for the European Commission as an expert as part of their international outreach initiative on sustainable and trustworthy AI.
AACS
Mr Baker Tamory
Member
Baker “Becker” Tamory is a Senior Data & AI Specialist at Microsoft with a passion on delivering citizen-impacting outcomes. Baker has accumulated 24 years of experience in various sectors, with a focus on technology sales since 2007. Specialising in Data since 2010, Baker is passionate about empowering organisations make better decisions with their data. In his present role, he is responsible for leading the Data & AI Strategy between Microsoft and the largest NSW Government Clusters including TfNSW, DCS, Treasury, Emergency Services, and Health. Over the past 7 years, Baker has been directly involved in helping NSW Government stand up Modern Data Analytics platforms and is a member of the NSW Home of Digital, Data & AI Government Taskforce.
MACS Snr - CP
Mr Andrew Bell
Member
Andrew is a Data and Architecture professional who has over 20 years of industry experience designing and managing large Business Intelligence and line of business solutions. Andrew is passionate about empowering businesses to make fast, accurate and creative decisions backed by data. Andrew's background as a solicitor and programmer enable him to educate people on the importance and implications of security and the law when establishing and running a data practice. For the past 13 years Andrew has focused on the public and utilities sectors and is currently the Initiative Lead, Data Engineering and Delivery at Essential Energy.
AACS
Ms Angela Kim
Member
Angela is the founding chair of AI4APAC Consortium connecting APAC and EMEA, US and Canada academic and industry AI professionals to launch collaborative research project to advance AI application for Healthcare and Smart Cities.
She is currently working on the research project in collaboration with RIT University in Dubai and PathoAI AI solution for Healthcare Co on AI solution for detecting Cervical Cancer setting up digital pathology lab in the Technology University in Dubai.
AACS
Mr James Wan
Member
Experienced General Counsel and Company Secretary with a demonstrated history of working in healthcare and AI in Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong. Deep technical knowledge in machine learning, blockchain technology and software development. Solicitor, qualified patent attorney and trade mark attorney. Forward-looking, commercially minded trusted business partner who regularly takes the initiative to anticipate and solve problems, and manage risk at both a strategic and operational level.
FACS
Dr Kelvin Ross
Member
Dr Kelvin Ross has over 25 years of experience in software engineering and enterprise IT applications. Kelvin started his IT career in safety critical software engineering in defence, working on FA-18 airborne radar systems. After completing his PhD in safety critical systems engineering and several years in consulting in defence and transportation systems, he moved over to the commercial sector and founded KJR, specializing in software testing and assurance, which now has over 100 consultants in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Brisbane. Kelvin is recognized as an expert in testing and assurance of software applications across a broad range of industry domains, including e-health, public administration, finance, insurance, retail and telecommunications. Kelvin is Chairman of KJR, and now engages in broader IT and advisory roles, and CTO of Datarwe, a data/AI platform for insights for ICU patients across 16 Australian hospitals. He has broad interests in Machine Learning, including Computer Vision and Natural Language Processing, which he sees as a dominant technology driver for the next several decades. Kelvin is Chair of the Qld AI Hub, and Director of NFP IntelliHQ, a Healthcare AI innovation hub. He is an Associate Adjunct Professor at the Institute for Intelligent and Integrated Systems, Griffith University, and has held several roles in national working groups (NATA, ACS, Standards Australia).
MACS
Dr Khimji Vaghjiani
Member
Author of “Spiritual Journey of an Entrepreneur” Currently a mentor on A.I Australia, on the Australian Computer Society A.I Ethics Technical Working Committee. Worked at NSW Govt. running the Innovate NSW in DoI, as well as the NSW DAC. Data and A.I , start-up and Innovation & commercialisation specialist. Consultant to Government, corporate, research, academia and start-up experience. Khimji was the CEO and co-founder of Solar-Gem. Khimji was awarded the Australian Innovator of the Year and Australian International Design award in 2010, the Powerhouse Museum Award 2010, and the Tech23 Innovative company award 2010. Solar-Gem achieved initial sales in 18 countries for its innovative solar lighting technology. Director of Innovation Partnerships at Westpac – created major alliances with corporate partners for joint projects. Director from 2003-2008 of Smart Internet Technology centre. Founder of TiE-Sydney chapter (The Indus Entrepreneurs) Award winning lecturer. Teaching includes Executive MBA, & MBA.
AACS
Professor Maurice Pagnucco
Member
Maurice Pagnucco is a Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, Deputy Dean (Education) of the Faculty of Engineering. He was also the Head of the School of Computer Science and Engineering at UNSW from July 2010 to September 2019. He joined UNSW in 2001 as a Senior Lecturer and has held the position of Deputy Dean (Education) since 2015. Maurice is also a Professorial Fellow at the UNSW iCinema Research Centre in 2014, Deputy Director of UNSW’s Creative Robotics Lab (CRL) and Co-Director of UNSW’s Intelligent Environments Lab in 2016. He is the Immediate Past President of the Australian Council of Deans of ICT (ACDICT) having served as president from mid 2016 to mid 2018 and was previously Chair of the NICTA (now Data61; Australia’s national ICT centre of excellence) University Partner Committee and Chair of the NSW Steering Committee for Digital Careers.
Maurice is currently an associate editor of the journal Artificial Intelligence (SJR Q1, H index 129), the most highly regarded journal in this field of research. He also been on the editorial board of the Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research (SJR Q2, H index 99), and is a current member of leading international professional bodies, including the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), and the Association for Symbolic Logic (ASL). Maurice was the programme director of the Decision Making theme in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Autonomous Systems and a codirector of the UNSW iCinema Centre for Interactive Cinema Research. His collaboration with the UNSW iCinema Centre for Interactive Cinema Research and other researchers in the School of Computer Science and Engineering resulted in a world-first interactive cinema piece that premiered at the Sydney Film Festival in 2011 that includes an artificial intelligence planning system to control virtual characters as they interact with audience members. A collaboration with researchers at the Creative Robotics Laboratory at UNSW has led to an exhibition that is currently touring the country.
MACS
Mr Peter Leonard
Member
Peter Leonard is a Sydney based data and technology business consultant and lawyer and principal of Data Synergies. Many of his clients are data analytics services providers and businesses developing and implementing AI and advanced data analytics projects and applications across many industry sectors. He is a part-time Professor of Practice, across the Schools of Management and Governance, and Information Systems & Technology Management, at UNSW Sydney Business School. Peter serves on the Australian Treasury’s Data Standards Advisory Committee, the Australian Government’s National Data Advisory Council, the NSW Government AI Review Committee, which reviews major applications of automated decision making and AI by NSW government agencies, the NSW statutory Information and Privacy Advisory Committee and the Certification Panel for the National Farmers Federation’s Farm Data Code. Peter also serves on a number of corporate boards, including as chair of Dynamic Crowd Measurement and a director of Iridium Satellite Australia, Bodd and Elker.
He chairs the Association for Data-driven Marketing and Advertising (ADMA)'s Regulatory & Advocacy Working Group and the Australian Data and Insights Association (ADIA)’s Privacy Compliance Committee. In his capacity as immediate past chair of the Australian Computer Society’s AI Ethics Committee, he was actively involved in the ACS’ development of AI governance and assurance and multiparty data sharing frameworks and methodologies.
AACS
Professor Toby Walsh
Member
Toby Walsh is an ARC Laureate Fellow and Scientia Professor of AI at UNSW and CSIRO Data61. He is Chief Scientist of UNSW.AI, UNSW's new AI Institute. He is a strong advocate for limits to ensure AI is used to improve our lives, having spoken at the UN, and to heads of state, parliamentary bodies, company boards and many others on this topic. This advocacy has led to him being "banned indefinitely" from Russia. He is a Fellow of the Australia Academy of Science, and was named on the international "Who's Who in AI" list of influencers. He has written four books on AI for a general audience, the most recent is "Faking It! Artificial Intelligence in A Human World".
AACS
Ms Vi Nguyen
Member
FACS - CP
Ms Lynn Warneke
Member
Lynn is a full time Chair and Non-Executive Director, specialising in the enterprise governance of strategic digital and data transformation, innovation, AI and emerging technologies. She is a Director for a number of private, listed and government organisations, and also holds strategic advisory and start-up industry mentor positions. Formerly an award-winning COO and CIO, her multi-sector executive career encompassed leadership roles for a diverse range of organisations, from tech start-up to state government through to major commercial enterprise. Lynn has consistently worked at the intersection of business strategy, customer experience, and digital and emerging technologies, including Internet-of-Things, Virtual and Augmented Reality, and AI. She has planned, built and run a number of major digital transformation and innovation programs, and was awarded #7 in the 2020 CIO50 recognising Australia’s most innovative CIOs. In 2023 she was made a Fellow of the ACS for distinguished contributions to the ICT sector, including advocacy for women in technology. Lynn’s qualifications include a Master of Laws (Hons) with a New Technologies Law specialisation, and she is a GAICD and FACS.
AACS
Ms Ana Hol
Member
Associate Professor Ana Hol, PhD, Winner of the University Medal, is an Associate Dean, International at the School of Computer, Data and Mathematical Sciences at the Western Sydney University. She previously held positions of the Associate Dean Learning and Teaching, Lead Director of the Academic Program – Computing and Deputy Dean. Her research interests are in the areas of Information Systems, Information Technology use, acceptance, and adoption; Business Transformations which are driven by new technological advancements across industries within developed and developing countries. Ana authored over 70 publications. She is a co-editor of the International Journal on Advances in ICT for Emerging Regions and a program committee member and the reviewer for 13 international conferences. Ana is a keen educator and innovator. She is a member of ACPHIS (Australian Council of Professors and Heads of Information Systems) and a member of the Australian Computer Society. Ana was also an elected member of ACS NSW BEC 2019 – 2022. Her teaching interests are in the areas of Business Transformation, Information Systems Deployment and Management and Emerging Trends in Information Systems. She received a Vice Chancellor Excellence Award for the excellence in leadership in 2016. She is a winner of both 2018 Australian Computer Society Digital Disruptor ICT Educator of The Year Award and 2018 SEARCC Global ICT Educator of the Year Award.