Breakout Session 4

This talk explores how AI and robotics are evolving from powerful machines into human-centered partners. Through real-world projects in smart manufacturing, sustainable robotics, circular systems, and AI-enabled learning factories, the session shows how intelligent robots can think efficiently while acting responsibly. Students will discover how human values—ethics, empathy, and purpose—shape technology that reduces waste, supports people, and regenerates our planet. This vision, called Earth 2.0, imagines a future where robots work with humans to create industries and societies that are productive, sustainable, and meaningful. The talk invites students to become thoughtful creators of technology, not just users of it.

About Dr. Rafiq Ahmad:

Dr. Rafiq Ahmad is the Engineering Research Chair in Smart Manufacturing and Industrialized Robotics and an Associate Professor at the University of Alberta, leading transformative work at the intersection of robotics, AI, and sustainability. As founder of the SMART Lab and the Agile Learning Factory, he bridges research and real-world impact, translating ideas into industrial solutions and award-winning ventures, including a NASA Lunar Recycling Challenge–winning startup. Recognized with the ASTech Award for Digital Technology Innovation and Edify’s Top 40 Under 40, his work is shaping resilient industries and advancing a sustainable Earth 2.0 vision—from factory floors to planetary-scale systems.

Videogames can lead players through fantastic worlds full of memorable characters, and exciting experiences. At the heart of these games lies a team of dedicated and creative game developers, who use a variety of tools to bring these worlds to life. Come learn how developers use AI systems to determine things from NPC behaviour, to the shape of their worlds, and even music! The focus of this panel is for high school students to learn more about how game developers create their worlds, and some basic explanations for the AI systems that determine how the game responds to the player.

This panel will not discuss generative AI in video game development, and its purpose is to highlight the creative process with the game developer at the center of it.

About the Panelists:

Alison Czarnietzki - Alison Victoria Czarnietzki is a veteran game developer and studio leader with 24 years of professional experience spanning engineering, design, and production. She is the CEO and co-founder of Only By Midnight, an Edmonton-based indie studio, and has shipped award-winning and commercial titles across multiple platforms. Alison specializes in building ambitious gameplay and AI-driven systems in Unity, turning complex technical challenges into player-facing magic—whether that’s novel simulation, tooling, or production-ready pipelines. In addition to leading original IP, she consults with multiple teams and partners on advanced gameplay architecture, performance, and scalable content workflows. Alison is passionate about demystifying game development for emerging creators, and she brings a candid, practical perspective on what it takes to ship games: craft, collaboration, iteration, and resilience. 

Jawdat Toume - Jawdat is an indie game developer and a games researcher. She has felt a love for designing games from a very young age, feeling particularly interested in all the different aspects of video games and how they can be combined together to create a full experience. She is now a co-founder of Daisy Chain Games, working as an audio designer, level designer, writer, and AI programmer on an indie racing game, Slipstream. 

Jawdat also worked towards a Masters degree in Computing Science, with a particular focus on game AI and how it can be used in different ways for different gameplay experiences. Her research revolved primarily around player behaviour and how it can be impacted by NPC behaviour in strategy games. Jawdat is always excited about expanding her knowledge in all different aspects of game design and loves creating new gameplay experiences.

This session provides a look at how the Edmonton Police Service is approaching artificial intelligence today and into the future. We will begin by outlining EPS’s vision for responsible and ethical use of AI, including how emerging technologies can support operational effectiveness, enhance public safety, and improve internal efficiency. From there, we will showcase current AI-related projects and prototypes underway within the organization, highlighting practical examples of how analytics, automation, and machine‑assisted insights are being used to support policing.

AI is everywhere, from the code deciding what you see in your TikTok feed to the chatbot you use for homework – and if you aren't careful, it can be easy to get lost in the noise. In this session, we’re going to learn how to cut through slop, hallucinations, and misinformation to take control back from the algorithms that surround us. We will also learn how to use AI tools in a way that supports rather than supplants your thinking by tackling hidden biases, modeling transparency, and using advanced techniques like retrieval augmented generation. 

About Benjamin Ehlers:

Benjamin Ehlers is a Digital Literacy Librarian at the Edmonton Public Library, where he bridges the gap between emerging technologies and community empowerment. With a unique dual background as a certified educator (B.Ed.) and librarian (MLIS), Benjamin specializes in instructional design, makerspace technologies, and information literacy. He is dedicated to moving learners from passive tech consumers to critical curators, whether he is training library staff or prototyping public-facing service innovations. 

Students will have the opportunity to participate in 7 different self-paced hands-on activities to learn more about artificial intelligence (AI), how data and AI intersect, how generative AI works, and engage in ethical conversations about AI use.