CHAI

Co-funded by the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia (ASSA) & RMIT’s Social Change Enabling Impact Platforms (EIP) with generous support from Readings Bookshop Professor Bender delivered a captivating and accessible primer on how chatbots really work, pulling back the curtain on the linguistic sleight of hand that drives today’s so-called “AI revolution.” With clarity, humour, and deep expertise, she helped the audience see beyond the hype, showing how language and meaning operate in ways machines can only mimic. Following the talk, Dr Kobi Leins joined Professor Bender for a dynamic and thought-provoking conversation around Bender’s latest book, The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech’s Hype and Create the Future We Want. Together, they explored how AI hype fuels misinformation, masks power imbalances, and shapes our collective future—and, importantly, how we can all play a role in resisting it. The discussion sparked lively questions and reflections from the audience, leaving everyone inspired to think more critically about the technologies shaping our information environment. It was an evening that perfectly captured the spirit of thoughtful, interdisciplinary engagement that defines our community.

A joint event hosted by CHAI, the Business and Human Rights Centre (BHRIGHT) and Social Change Enabling Impact Platforms (EIP) with generous support from Readings Bookshop and the Digital Rights Watch. Journalist Karen Hao offered an incisive exploration of the history, content, and future of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Throughout the evening, Hao delved into the ethical dilemmas underpinning AI development, revealing how large-scale “scaling laws” and data accumulation overwhelmingly benefit tech companies rather than users. She challenged the assumption that “bigger is always better,” citing examples of researchers advancing AI using smaller, more efficient systems—a direction she believes holds great promise for the future. The discussion resonated strongly with the mission of CHAI, whose interdisciplinary researchers are similarly examining how human and AI systems coexist within our information environments. Like CHAI, Hao called for a critical, human-centred approach to technology—one that questions who benefits, who is accountable, and how society can shape AI for the public good. It was an unforgettable evening of reflection and dialogue—one that perfectly embodied RMIT’s commitment to examining technology through the lens of social change, ethics, and human-centred innovation.