AIoT Hub - Responsible AI at the Edge

AIoTHub (formerly IoT North) Community meetup are pleased to present Professor Dhaval Thakker in "Responsible AI at the Edge: Challenges for Fairness, Explainability, and Assurance"

Abstract:
As AI systems move beyond centralised cloud infrastructures, Edge AI is becoming a critical part of real-time decision making in homes, hospitals, factories, and cities. This shift brings new opportunities for privacy, responsiveness, and local autonomy, but it also exposes unresolved challenges for Responsible AI. In this talk, Professor Thakker examines what happens when fairness, explainability, and assurance must be achieved in environments where data, models, and decisions are distributed across heterogeneous devices. Drawing on applied work, the talk sets out the emerging landscape of Responsible AI at the edge, highlighting practical lessons, open research questions, and a path towards systems that remain trustworthy even when intelligence is highly decentralised.

Bio:
Professor Dhaval Thakker is Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things and Research Lead for the Department of Computer Science at the University of Hull, where he also leads the Centre for Responsible AI. His research bridges Responsible and Explainable AI, Edge Computing, and Human-Centred Systems, with applications spanning healthcare, social care, defense, circular economy, and critical infrastructure. He coordinates Hull’s engagement with the EPSRC-funded National Edge AI Hub, leading pilots on hybrid federated learning and dependable AI at the edge, and has extensive experience directing multi-partner innovation projects exceeding £15M, supported by funding bodies such as Innovate UK, EPSRC, the EU, and international collaborations across Asia, North America, Europe, and the Middle East.