Doha, Qatar: Houda Bouamor (pictured) played a pivotal role as a key organizer for the 2023 Conference on Empirical Methods in Natural Language Processing (EMNLP2023) held in Singapore. The conference, which brought together about 4,000 global experts in the field of Natural Language Processing (NLP), focused on the advancements and challenges in the subfield of artificial intelligence. Bouamor, an associate teaching professor of information systems at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar and a renowned NLP expert, served as one of the program chairs for the event. Kemal Oflazer, a CMU-Q teaching professor of computer science specializing in Turkish NLP, played a crucial role as the ethics chair.
During the conference, numerous researchers and practitioners shared valuable insights into the possibilities and challenges associated with processing human languages. Bouamor highlighted the increasing importance of Generative AI, a fundamental task within the field of NLP. She emphasized the central theme that NLP should be human-centered, with researchers exploring innovative ways to leverage generative AI and NLP to enhance people’s lives.
Bouamor expressed, The consistent theme throughout was that NLP should be human-centred. Researchers are looking at novel ways that generative AI and NLP can improve people’s lives, like detecting mental health issues, providing accessibility for the hearing-impaired, and strengthening cultural identity in less represented languages.
Michael Trick, the Dean of CMU-Q, reiterated the institution’s commitment to responsible AI education. He stated, At Carnegie Mellon, we believe that teaching our students responsible AI is the key to positive, ethical progress…equally important is to think through the impact of innovation. Bouamor’s contributions helped ensure that the conference addressed significant challenges in the field, including the importance of large language models in building generative AI tools.
Bouamor explained, We felt it was imperative to discuss issues like sustainability and bias that are inherent in large language modeling. We also want to consider how to preserve the culture and identity that is deeply embedded in language. Everyone in this field should be reflecting on how to make advances that will have a positive impact on the world.
By emphasizing sustainable and unbiased practices in large language modeling, the conference aimed to push the boundaries of research while preserving the cultural diversity embedded in languages around the world. The event provided a platform for researchers to collaborate and explore ways to make technological advancements that have a positive impact on society.
The 2023 Conference on Empirical Methods in Natural Language Processing highlighted the significance of NLP in an era driven by artificial intelligence. Bouamor’s vital role and dedication as a key organizer contributed to shaping a conference that fostered innovation, ethical considerations, and human-centric approaches in the field of NLP. With the participation of esteemed experts from around the world, EMNLP2023 served as a stepping stone towards developing NLP solutions that truly improve the lives of individuals and communities globally.
