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thoughts on 'seigniorage' – you can look it up at
your leisure – but that definitely made it time for Numbers have outgrown Barnard’s Inn!
going to the pub.

“It was also great fun debating with the WCIT’s
Chris Rees (BCS Past President) about the ethical
issues of AI. Chris is an expert on the subject,
so I expected his position – that AI requires a
new ethical framework – would win the house,
and that my view – that AI brings no new ethical
dilemmas, it just brings them faster and more
frequently than before – would lose. So I was
surprised to win, although interestingly, when we
surveyed the audience afterwards, all the charity
representatives voted for Chris, and my victory was
swung by the majority of the audience who were IT
professionals. Maybe there is a lesson there?”

Is it relevant that you are the WCIT Professor? and job done! Nothing could be further from
“Who better to sponsor a professorship of IT at a the truth. A Gresham lecture takes between 100
respected 400-year old City institution than the IT and 500 hours to prepare. But it is a fascinating
livery company? Actually I didn’t know much about intellectual challenge to distil the essence of the
WCIT when I applied. Obviously I knew that WCIT topic, especially when it differs from one’s own
sponsored the post, for which there was heavy research. The lectures seem to be increasingly
competition, and that it was pretty innovative. popular – we have outgrown Barnard’s Inn and
Gresham College had had just its original seven (before lockdown at least) delivered the lectures
Professorships from 1597 until 1985; the first IT from the Weston Hall in the Museum of London.
Professor, Martyn Thomas, was only appointed in
2015. But it has been great to get to know WCIT And they are also broadcast live to hundreds of
and appreciate how it reflects the ethos and online viewers, which is pretty nerve-wracking.
values of the industry from which it comes: highly Fortunately, the Gresham technical team is very
entrepreneurial, quick to act and generally pretty competent and I lean on them heavily, but I really
fearless. have to practise as I like to give the impression that
the lectures are delivered extemporaneously.
“And I loved speaking at Ray Long’s installation
dinner: I now know how to wield a loving cup, “It has been fantastically enjoyable, though, and I
useful if I am ever in a brawl in a medieval tavern.” have been incredibly grateful for the kind welcome
And is it quite light touch? Six lectures a year and support given to me by the Company in my
doesn’t seem a lot… “You must be joking! Would time as WCIT Professor – thank you; may you
that I could just blow the dust off a few old slides, flourish, root and branch.”

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