Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is incredibly important and must be approached with caution, according to a senior executive at Google. Matt Brittin, the president of Google for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, believes that AI has the potential to bring about significant advancements across various industries. In light of this, Google has formed a research partnership with the University of Cambridge, with a focus on areas such as robotics, healthcare, and climate change. The aim is to explore the benefits and risks of AI and find ways to use it responsibly.

The partnership between Google and the University of Cambridge comes ahead of the UK’s AI safety summit, where industry leaders will gather to discuss the future of AI. This event has been prompted by the ongoing debate about the potential benefits and risks of AI, as well as the need for regulations to govern its development. Matt Brittin believes that if AI is used correctly, it can lead to breakthroughs in healthcare, clean energy, and education, providing opportunities for everyone.

Zoubin Ghahramani, the vice president of research at Google DeepMind and a professor at Cambridge University, highlighted the potential of AI in addressing climate issues. For example, AI tools have been used to optimize flight paths and reduce the environmental impact of air travel. Google has long been committed to sustainability, and its research in AI has helped reduce energy consumption and costs in its data centers. The company has also undertaken global projects to reduce pollution and promote fuel efficiency.

However, there are concerns about the environmental impact of the AI industry. Some argue that the rapid growth of AI could lead to significant energy consumption, comparable to that of a small country. It is important to use AI only where necessary and to consider its environmental implications.

In conclusion, AI technology holds great promise for various industries, but it must be developed and used responsibly. The partnership between Google and the University of Cambridge aims to explore the potential benefits of AI while addressing the risks and finding sustainable solutions. It is crucial to strike a balance between harnessing the power of AI and minimizing its environmental impact.

Original news source: Google boss: AI too important not to get right (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Have each group read the article and then summarize the main points in a news article format. They should include the key information and present it in a concise and engaging manner.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Assign each group a specific topic related to AI (e.g. healthcare, climate change, education). Have them discuss their opinions on the topic and then conduct an opinion poll within the class. Each group should present their findings and discuss the different perspectives.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Instruct each group to create a catchy headline that summarizes the main idea of the article. Encourage them to be creative and use engaging language. After a set time, have each group share their headline and explain why they chose it.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Assign each group one of the following topics: AI in healthcare, AI in climate change, AI in education. Have them discuss and list the pros and cons of using AI in their assigned topic. After a set time, have each group share their findings and engage in a class discussion about the benefits and risks of AI.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Have a class discussion about the future of AI and its potential impact on society. Encourage students to share their predictions and speculate on how AI could shape various industries in the coming years. Facilitate a lively debate and encourage students to support their arguments with evidence from the article or their own knowledge.

Comprehension Questions:

1. According to Matt Brittin, what are some potential advancements that AI can bring about?
2. What is the purpose of the research partnership between Google and the University of Cambridge?
3. What event is taking place in the UK to discuss the future of AI?
4. What are some potential benefits of AI mentioned in the article?
5. How has Google used AI to reduce energy consumption and costs?
6. What concerns are there about the environmental impact of the AI industry?
7. What is the main goal of the partnership between Google and the University of Cambridge?
8. Why is it important to strike a balance between harnessing the power of AI and minimizing its environmental impact?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is incredibly important and must be approached with (1)______, according to a senior executive at Google. Matt Brittin, the president of Google for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, believes that AI has the potential to bring about significant advancements across various (2)______. In light of this, Google has formed a research (3)______ with the University of Cambridge, with a focus on areas such as robotics, healthcare, and climate change. The aim is to explore the (4)______ and risks of AI and find ways to use it responsibly.

The partnership between Google and the University of Cambridge comes ahead of the UK’s AI safety (5)______, where industry (6)______ will gather to discuss the future of AI. This event has been prompted by the ongoing debate about the potential benefits and (7)______ of AI, as well as the need for regulations to govern its (8)______. Matt Brittin believes that if AI is used correctly, it can lead to breakthroughs in healthcare, clean energy, and education, providing opportunities for everyone.

Zoubin Ghahramani, the vice president of research at Google DeepMind and a professor at Cambridge (9)______, highlighted the potential of AI in addressing climate (10)______. For example, AI tools have been used to optimize flight paths and reduce the environmental impact of air travel. Google has long been committed to sustainability, and its research in AI has helped reduce energy consumption and costs in its data (11)______. The company has also undertaken global (12)______ to reduce pollution and promote fuel efficiency.

However, there are concerns about the environmental impact of the AI industry. Some argue that the rapid growth of AI could lead to significant energy consumption, comparable to that of a small country. It is important to use AI only where necessary and to (13)______ its environmental implications.

In conclusion, AI technology holds great promise for various industries, but it must be (14)______ and used responsibly. The partnership between Google and the University of Cambridge aims to (15)______ the potential benefits of AI while addressing the risks and finding sustainable solutions. It is crucial to strike a balance between harnessing the power of AI and minimizing its environmental (16)______.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is your opinion on the use of AI in various industries?
2. How would you feel if AI technology was used to make decisions about your healthcare?
3. Do you think AI can effectively address climate change? Why or why not?
4. What are some potential risks and benefits of AI in education?
5. How do you think AI can be used to promote sustainability?
6. Do you believe regulations should be put in place to govern the development of AI? Why or why not?
7. What is your experience with AI technology in your country?
8. How do you think AI can be used to reduce pollution?
9. What are some potential ethical concerns surrounding the use of AI in healthcare?
10. Do you think AI technology will eventually replace human workers in certain industries? Why or why not?
11. How do you think AI can be used to improve the efficiency of transportation systems?
12. What are some potential risks of relying too heavily on AI technology?
13. How do you think AI can be used to address social and economic inequalities?
14. Do you think AI technology has the potential to revolutionize the field of robotics? Why or why not?
15. What steps do you think should be taken to ensure that AI technology is developed and used responsibly?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
2. Google
3. University of Cambridge
4. research
5. healthcare
6. climate change
7. benefits
8. risks

Meanings:
(a) Potential dangers or negative outcomes
(b) A prestigious educational institution in the UK
(c) Advantages or positive outcomes
(d) Technology that mimics human intelligence and behavior
(e) The provision of medical services and treatment
(f) A multinational technology company
(g) The long-term alteration of weather patterns
(h) The systematic investigation of a subject
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. According to the article, who believes that AI has the potential to bring about significant advancements across various industries?
(a) Matt Brittin
(b) Zoubin Ghahramani
(c) The UK government
(d) Google DeepMind

2. What is the focus of the research partnership between Google and the University of Cambridge?
(a) Robotics, healthcare, and climate change
(b) AI safety regulations
(c) Energy consumption in data centers
(d) Flight path optimization

3. What is the purpose of the UK’s AI safety summit?
(a) To promote fuel efficiency
(b) To reduce pollution
(c) To explore the potential benefits of AI
(d) To discuss the future of AI

4. According to the article, what is one potential benefit of AI in addressing climate issues?
(a) Reducing energy consumption and costs in data centers
(b) Optimizing flight paths to reduce environmental impact
(c) Promoting fuel efficiency
(d) Discussing the future of AI

5. What is one concern about the environmental impact of the AI industry?
(a) Lack of regulations
(b) Significant energy consumption
(c) Limited opportunities for breakthroughs
(d) Overreliance on AI tools

6. According to the article, what is Google’s commitment in terms of sustainability?
(a) Promoting fuel efficiency
(b) Undertaking global projects to reduce pollution
(c) All of these answers
(d) Reducing energy consumption and costs in data centers

7. What is one industry that AI technology holds great promise for?
(a) Education
(b) Clean energy
(c) Healthcare
(d) All of the above

8. What is the main message of the article?
(a) AI technology has no potential benefits
(b) AI technology should be used everywhere
(c) AI technology is important but must be approached with caution
(d) AI technology has no environmental impact

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. The partnership between Google and the University of Cambridge does not aim to find sustainable solutions and minimize the environmental impact of AI.
2. The UK’s AI safety summit will bring together industry leaders to discuss the future of AI.
3. AI tools have not been used to optimize flight paths and reduce the environmental impact of air travel.
4. Matt Brittin, the president of Google for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, believes that AI has the potential to bring about significant advancements across various industries.
5. Google’s research in AI has helped reduce energy consumption and costs in its data centers.
6. Google has not formed a research partnership with the University of Cambridge to explore the benefits and risks of AI.
7. The partnership between Google and the University of Cambridge is not focused on areas such as robotics, healthcare, and climate change.
8. There are concerns about the environmental impact of the AI industry, as it could lead to significant energy consumption.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What is the focus of the research partnership between Google and the University of Cambridge?
2. Why is there a need for regulations to govern the development of AI?
3. How has AI been used to address climate issues?
4. What are some concerns about the environmental impact of the AI industry?
5. What is the goal of the partnership between Google and the University of Cambridge?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. According to Matt Brittin, some potential advancements that AI can bring about include breakthroughs in healthcare, clean energy, and education.
2. The purpose of the research partnership between Google and the University of Cambridge is to explore the benefits and risks of AI and find ways to use it responsibly.
3. The UK’s AI safety summit is taking place to discuss the future of AI.
4. Some potential benefits of AI mentioned in the article include advancements in healthcare, clean energy, and education, as well as the optimization of flight paths to reduce the environmental impact of air travel.
5. Google has used AI to reduce energy consumption and costs in its data centers.
6. Concerns about the environmental impact of the AI industry include the potential for significant energy consumption comparable to that of a small country.
7. The main goal of the partnership between Google and the University of Cambridge is to explore the potential benefits of AI while addressing the risks and finding sustainable solutions.
8. It is important to strike a balance between harnessing the power of AI and minimizing its environmental impact because while AI holds great promise for various industries, its rapid growth could lead to significant energy consumption and environmental implications.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) caution
(2) industries
(3) partnership
(4) benefits
(5) summit
(6) leaders
(7) risks
(8) development
(9) University
(10) issues
(11) centers
(12) projects
(13) consider
(14) developed
(15) explore
(16) impact
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Answer: (d) Technology that mimics human intelligence and behavior

2. Google
Answer: (f) A multinational technology company

3. University of Cambridge
Answer: (b) A prestigious educational institution in the UK

4. research
Answer: (h) The systematic investigation of a subject

5. healthcare
Answer: (e) The provision of medical services and treatment

6. climate change
Answer: (g) The long-term alteration of weather patterns

7. benefits
Answer: (c) Advantages or positive outcomes

8. risks
Answer: (a) Potential dangers or negative outcomes
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. According to the article, who believes that AI has the potential to bring about significant advancements across various industries?
Answer: (a) Matt Brittin

2. What is the focus of the research partnership between Google and the University of Cambridge?
Answer: (a) Robotics, healthcare, and climate change

3. What is the purpose of the UK’s AI safety summit?
Answer: (d) To discuss the future of AI

4. According to the article, what is one potential benefit of AI in addressing climate issues?
Answer: (b) Optimizing flight paths to reduce environmental impact

5. What is one concern about the environmental impact of the AI industry?
Answer: (b) Significant energy consumption

6. According to the article, what is Google’s commitment in terms of sustainability?
Answer: (d) Reducing energy consumption and costs in data centers

7. What is one industry that AI technology holds great promise for?
Answer: (c) Healthcare

8. What is the main message of the article?
Answer: (c) AI technology is important but must be approached with caution
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. The partnership between Google and the University of Cambridge does not aim to find sustainable solutions and minimize the environmental impact of AI. (Answer: False)
2. The UK’s AI safety summit will bring together industry leaders to discuss the future of AI. (Answer: True)
3. AI tools have not been used to optimize flight paths and reduce the environmental impact of air travel. (Answer: False)
4. Matt Brittin, the president of Google for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, believes that AI has the potential to bring about significant advancements across various industries. (Answer: True)
5. Google’s research in AI has helped reduce energy consumption and costs in its data centers. (Answer: True)
6. Google has not formed a research partnership with the University of Cambridge to explore the benefits and risks of AI. (Answer: False)
7. The partnership between Google and the University of Cambridge is not focused on areas such as robotics, healthcare, and climate change. (Answer: False)
8. There are concerns about the environmental impact of the AI industry, as it could lead to significant energy consumption. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧