Toby Walsh
Appointment
International Scientific Advisory Committee member
CIFAR Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy Leadership
About
Professor Toby Walsh is the Chief Scientist at UNSW.ai, the AI Institute of the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney. He is also a Laureate Fellow and Scientia Professor of Artificial Intelligence in UNSW’s School of Computer Science and Engineering. Additionally, he holds adjunct positions at CSIRO’s Data61 and Queensland University of Technology (QUT).
Throughout his career, Professor Walsh has held research positions in several countries, including England, Scotland, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, and Sweden. His research focuses on artificial intelligence, particularly in areas such as social choice, constraint programming, and propositional satisfiability. He has been recognized as a Fellow by multiple esteemed organizations, including the Australian Academy of Science, the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), and the European Association for Artificial Intelligence. His accolades include the prestigious Humboldt Prize and the NSW Premier’s Prize for Excellence in Engineering and ICT.
Beyond his academic contributions, Professor Walsh is a prominent advocate for the ethical use of AI technologies. He has actively participated in global discussions, notably addressing the United Nations on the topic of banning lethal autonomous weapons. His efforts in promoting the responsible use of AI have earned him a place on the international “Who’s Who in AI” list of influencers.
Professor Walsh is also an accomplished author and communicator, having written four books aimed at demystifying AI for the general public. His recent works include “Machines Behaving Badly” and “Faking It: Artificial Intelligence in a Human World.” He frequently appears on television and radio, and his insights have been featured in prominent publications such as The New York Times.