A webinar that focuses on the things that matter to accountants as direct or indirect users of AI.
12:30-13:30
Date: 07 February 2025
The concept of AI (artificial intelligence) has been around for decades, with several waves of advancement and application. However, with the advent of ChatGPT and other forms of generative AI (GenAI), it seems that it is never out of the headlines these days, with new developments announced on an almost daily basis.
This has prompted an explosion of commentary, with narratives ranging from hype (e.g. it’s going to transform productivity radically and lead to a life of leisure for all) to hysteria (e.g. we’re all going to lose our jobs, whole industries and professions will be destroyed, and, in the end, the robots will take over and eliminate the human race).
Whichever narrative is closer to the truth, the increased penetration of AI into our lives raises important ethical questions for us today.
The aim of this webinar is to raise your awareness of the current ethical risks of artificial intelligence (AI) and to enable you, as professional accountants, to manage those risks.
On completion of the webinar, you will:
Using practical examples, this webinar will focus on the things that matter to accountants as direct or indirect users of AI and as advisers or employees who can bring a valuable professional perspective to the ethical application of AI in business and other organisations.
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Chris Cowton is Emeritus Professor at the University of Huddersfield, where he served as Professor of Accounting (1996-2016), Dean of the Business School (2008-2016) and Professor of Financial Ethics (2016-2019). He previously lectured at Aberystwyth (1980-1982), Cardiff (1982-1986) and Oxford (1986-1996).
On retiring to London in 2019, he became Associate Director of the Institute of Business Ethics (IBE), working closely with business. He retired - again - in 2023, but he continues to be academically active, publishing regularly, and he works with business, government and professional bodies in various ways. He has delivered several previous webinars on ethics topics for the AIA, and he is the architect and main writer of the ICAEW's online ethics CPD course, which was launched in November 2023.
Chris holds a BA with First Class Honours in Accounting & Financial Management and a PhD from the University of Sheffield and master’s degrees from the University of Wales and the University of Oxford (by Special Resolution). He was awarded the University of Huddersfield's first ever DLitt (a higher doctorate) in 2013 for his contributions to business and financial ethics and the British Accounting and Finance Association’s Life-time Achievement Award in 2023. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Chartered Governance Professional.