Curating my laptop’s battery
Salted Cream Cold Brew
What does being a member of Rewriting the Code mean to you?
Rewriting the Code has given me the best opportunities to explore my interests through events, friendships, and experiences. Being a part of RTC means being in a community of like minded people, being with my girls, and being involved. It all started from a small meetup that opened up to bigger things that are now some of my best core memories.
What first pulled you toward artificial intelligence, and how did that curiosity evolve during your MSc at Aston University?
I think it started with exploring data, finding ways to analyze it and possibly, ‘make a better world’ from, or maybe I just wanted to build my personal robot to clean my room (although I didn’t pursue that domain), so when an opportunity came to pursue Artificial Intelligence, to nitpick at the beginning of new technologies, I just couldn’t miss it. There are basically two ways of contributing to AI development, one is to build and train the models to their best capabilities, as how we would use algorithms to solve an issue, and the other is to utilize the said capabilities by adapting and integrating into existing systems, in turn optimizing it, as how we use AI to improve an essay. So over time, this evolved to questioning AI’s impact; ethics, bias, interpretability, in the ways it’s shaping our society as much as solving our problems, of how intertwined our lives are with it.
What’s a small, unexpected skill (technical or not) that’s been surprisingly useful in your work?
A small but surprisingly powerful skill I’m still developing is taking initiative, especially when it means voicing and delivering my own ideas. As someone who’s naturally more introverted, speaking up doesn’t always come automatically to me. But I’ve learned that ideas only create impact when they’re shared, refined, and acted on.
How has studying AI changed the way you see creativity, intelligence, or even yourself?
The more I explored aspects of AI, from machine learning to virtual agents (that you could simply “summon” and have your answers instantly), the more I realized the value. Compared to the AI I’d imagined from science fiction, it’s more layered and so much better, depending on where you want to use it. For example, being far from home meant that I’ve missed a few get-togethers and family photos, in this case, we had a dress code, my cousin’s photo and my face, all I did was ask AI to merge it all and it did so well that even my tech savvy friends couldn’t tell it apart. It’s unimaginable how much growth is in AI and how I view it. It may not be as visible as a humanoid robot helping to clean a room (as much as I want it), it’s there and it’s in my own conscience to use it well.
When have you felt most proud of yourself so far on your tech journey?
I’ve felt most proud when persistence paid off, especially when I’m presenting a project I’m deeply committed to and it shows my dedication and is appreciated; I know I’ve successfully delivered my thoughts. It doesn’t come from perfection but from staying consistent all the way through. Imposter syndrome and introversion follow but each step I take to stand for myself is when I gain the confidence and I can believe in myself.
What kind of future do you hope to help build at the intersection of AI, art, and immersive tech?
AI is meant to improve human lifestyles so I hope to help build a future where one’s creativity is amplified by AI. It would be a delight to have Art experiences enhanced by immersive tech and AI, artists collaborating with the latest technology to bring their Art to life and develop a better means to observe, feel and experience their creations. I want to contribute to tools that make immersive creation more accessible, ethical and inclusive.
If you had a free weekend with no deadlines, what would you most want to spend time creating—or experiencing?
I came across the National Museum of Computing, home to the world’s oldest computers, when I was searching for a job opportunity. The company had created an AI generated virtual guide for the museum. Here, I would love to spend the day, understanding the beginning, seeing how the AI guide interprets it, listening to the chitchat and taking silly photos with devices that the latest generation wouldn’t even know existed. My mind would be running miles away but doing things I love keeps me grounded.
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Meet Lucille
Computer Science & Psychology , University of Wisconsin
I am rewriting the experience for women in tech.
Meet Aayza
I'm focused on keeping up with personal development and emerging trends in the tech industry.