Toby Walsh

University of New South Wales (UNSW) and CSIRO Data61, Australia

Keynote (Main Conference)

Speaker: Toby Walsh, University of New South Wales (UNSW) and CSIRO Data61, Australia

Talk: Can computers be creative?

Abstract: Two hundred years ago, Ada Lovelace suggested that a computer "can only do what we tell it to do". And when computers pass another milestone towards full artificial intelligence—whether it be playing world class Go, or reading x-rays better than a radiologist—people often remark "but it can't be creative". Turing addressed this very objection in his seminal 1950 paper, Computing Machinery and Intelligence. How then does this objection stand up to recent progress in AI? Based on my own and many other people's work, I'll explore progress towards computational creativity. The talk is dedicated to the memory of another great female pioneer in this area, the late Maggie Boden (1936–2025) who I first met in Australia in 1991.

Bio: Toby Walsh is Laureate Fellow and Scientia Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the University of New South Wales and Chief Scientist at UNSW.ai. He has a B.A. from the University of Cambridge and an M.Sc. and Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh. He has been elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, the ACM, and the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence. He was named on the international "Who's Who in AI" list of influencers, and his Twitter account was voted in the top ten to follow to keep abreast of developments in AI. He has won an Eureka Prize, the Humboldt Prize and the NSW Premier's Prize for Excellence in Engineering and ICT.

Dr Allison Clarke

Director, External Data Partnerships and Capability Section, Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

Talk: Opening from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

Bio: Dr Allison Clarke directs the External Data Partnerships and Capability Section at the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, where her team multiplies the impact of AI and data analytics on policy, program management, and regulation to improve health and wellbeing for Australians.

She has served across Medicare, Hospitals, and Data Analytics portfolios with a deep understanding of health programs and priorities at both state and national levels. Her passion is using AI, data, and analytics to deliver real-world health policy improvements.

Dr Clarke holds a Professional Doctorate in Health Psychology from Swinburne University of Technology and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in psychology from Deakin University; her doctoral thesis examined the psychosocial impact of epilepsy on young people through extensive quantitative analysis.

She is also a registered health and clinical psychologist practising one day a week in the ACT and is the current Treasurer and past Chair of the Australian Psychologist Society College of Health Psychologists.

Rebecca Bateson

Senior Regulatory Policy Advisor, Devices Emerging Technology and Medical Devices Surveillance Branch, Therapeutic Goods Administration

Talk: AI in the healthcare sectors – a regulator’s perspective

Abstract: The increasing use of AI in healthcare settings prompts questions about what models and systems are regulated, and by whom. Rebecca Bateson from the Therapeutic Goods Administration will share examples that illustrate the boundaries of definitions and regulatory requirements for AI under the current legislative framework administered by the TGA. She will also outline ongoing and planned work to ensure refinements are made when necessary to keep Australians safe while accessing innovative therapeutic solutions.

Bio: Rebecca Bateson is a policy advisor with over a decade at the Therapeutic Goods Administration. She led the TGA’s legislative review under the Government’s Safe and Responsible AI Budget measure, delivering a report that captured regulatory strengths and areas for refinement. Dedicated to best-practice regulation, she now leads digital policy reform in the Devices Emerging Technology and Diagnostics Section to future-proof Australia’s medical device framework.

Prof Hanna Suominen

Professor and Associate Director (Neuroinformatics), Eccles Institute; SFHEA, Australian National University

Talk: AI for Personalising Precision Health

Abstract: AI is delivering effectiveness and efficiency dividends in personalised precision health by decreasing time demands and increasing diagnostic throughput. This talk shares experiences from the ANU Neuroinformatics group, showing how explainability, efficacy evaluations, and smart sensing power responsible AI strategies that accelerate discoveries while keeping personalised precision health sustainable and equitable.

Bio: Prof Hanna Suominen is the Associate Director (Neuroinformatics) of the ANU John Eccles Institute of Neuroscience and Co-chair/Executive Leader (Computing and Engineering) of Our Health in Our Hands. She previously served as Associate Director (Engagement & Impact) at the ANU School of Computing and led the TAMPA and NLP teams at CSIRO’s Data61/NICTA. Her degrees include an MSc in Applied Mathematics (2005), PhD in Computer Science (2009), and Docent in Computer Science (2013) from the University of Turku, followed by a Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Association (2019) and an MEdL in Curriculum & Pedagogy (2020) from Monash University.

Prof Michael Blumenstein

Pro Vice-Chancellor (Business Creation & Major Facilities), University of Technology Sydney

Talk: AI in Australia's health sector – unleashing the potential

Abstract: The future of AI in health is accelerating rapidly, but adoption must overcome barriers around data, access to cutting-edge research, trust, and workforce readiness. Through case studies, this talk explores how universities can help translate AI research and innovation to benefit the sector, industry, government, and patients.

Bio: Professor Michael Blumenstein is the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Business Creation and Major Facilities) at the University of Technology Sydney. He has previously served as Deputy Dean (Research and Innovation) in the Faculty of Engineering & IT and has held major leadership roles across UTS and Griffith University. With over two decades of experience, his work spans AI, machine learning, and digital innovation, and he has contributed extensively to industry and professional bodies including the ACS, AIIA, and IoT Alliance Australia, as well as national committees such as the ARC College of Experts.

Main Conference Venue: Australian National University (ANU)

Address: Acton ACT 2601, Australia

Conference Dates: December 1-5, 2025

Events: Main conference sessions, workshops, tutorials, keynotes, poster sessions

The Australian National University is one of Australia’s leading research universities, located in the heart of Canberra with state-of-the-art facilities and a beautiful setting for academic conferences. Transportation: easily accessible by public transport, with ample on-campus parking.