AI in science: the promise, perils and path forward – AI and our safety

The AI revolution is transforming how we stay safe, combat crime, and protect our national security – both online and in the real world. From cyber warfare to surveillance to deepfakes, this brave new AI world has the potential to cause seismic shifts in global power structures.

Our two expert speakers will explore the emerging tech reshaping our world.

Associate Professor Campbell Wilson FAHMS is a founding co-director of the AiLECS Lab at Monash University, collaborating with the Australian Federal Police to research ethical, effective and transparent AI for law enforcement. Current projects include AI to counter online child exploitation and detect illegal firearms.

Suneel Randhawa is the Chief of Information Sciences in the Defence Science and Technology Group at the Department of Defence. His expertise is in cyber security, cyber warfare and AI, and he works to harness Australia’s innovation ecosystem to enhance our defence, intelligence and national security.

Come along to discover the power of AI, and how we can ensure its use is ethical and transparent while keeping communities safe.

Event details

Date: Tuesday 14 October 2025

Time: Canapes and drinks are served from 5.30pm, with the talks (and the livestream) starting at 6.00pm AEDT.

Venue: The Shine Dome, 15 Gordon Street, Acton ACT (and online livestream)

Cost: $20pp ($15pp for students)

Speakers

Associate Professor Campbell Wilson, AiLECS Lab and Monash University 

Campbell is an Associate Professor in Information Technology, and is the founding co-director of the AiLECS Lab. His research interests include the applications of AI and machine learning to problems relevant to law enforcement and community safety. He examines these problems from both a technical and socio-technical standpoint.

Campbell undertakes research in AI and machine learning, with a particular emphasis on community safety applications. He has also undertaken research work in digital forensics, information retrieval and bioinformatics.

Suneel Randhawa, Chief of Information Sciences, Defence Science and Technology Group

Suneel is Chief of Information Sciences Division in the Defence Science and Technology Group within the Australian Department of Defence.

Suneel’s expertise and research interests lie in cyber security and cyber warfare, with an emphasis on the intersection between artificial intelligence, machine learning and autonomy.

He began his career with Defence Science and Technology Group in 1995, commencing in the Advanced Computer Capabilities group. He received the prestigious Defence Science Fellowship in 2002, facilitating a secondment to SRI International in the USA.

Series details

Series dates

The events are held at the Shine Dome in Canberra on the second Tuesday of every second month:

Tuesday 11 February: What is AI?
Tuesday 8 April: AI and our health 
Tuesday 10 June: AI and our environment 
Tuesday 12 August: AI and our food 
Tuesday 14 October: AI and our safety 
Tuesday 9 December: AI in science and research 

Series host

The Academy is pleased to welcome ABC's Lish Fejer as the host for all the events across this series. As a seasoned radio broadcaster and passionate science communicator, Lish will deliver illuminating sessions with her engaging style and thought-provoking questions.

Series convenors

Thank you to the convenors supporting the series in 2025:

• Professor Bob Graham AO FAA FAHMS, Vice President and Secretary for Biological Sciences, Australian Academy of Science 
• Professor Ian Chubb AC FAA FTSE, Fellow, Australian Academy of Science

Series supporters 

For more information about the series and the other events, please visit the series webpage. For all enquiries, please email events@science.org.au.