Yas Daniel Matbouly

Class of 2015

What is the Save Our People (SOP) charity and why was it necessary?

It is actually Australia’s first charity providing complimentary logistics and delivery service. Our purpose is to serve and connect the community by supporting individuals and families from all walks of life experiencing hunger and hardship. SOP operates Queensland's first free supermarket and provides access to basic human needs for struggling individuals as well as supporting hundreds of charities across Queensland and northern New South Wales. Established in the wake of Covid-19, SOP addresses emerging community needs during times of crises such as the pandemic, natural disasters and the rising cost of living.

How has SOP changed lives for the better? What have you observed?

SOP has had a profound impact on the lives of individuals and families who have accessed its services. The charity has helped those most in need during challenging times such as the Covid-19 pandemic and natural disasters. SOP provides access to basic human needs such as food, furniture and medication to those who would otherwise go without. The charity's free supermarket has been a lifeline for many people experiencing hardship especially with the current times.

How has SOP's formation changed you?

My experience with SOP has been transformative and it has changed me in many ways but at the same time it’s allowed me to become my authentic self and do what I truly want to be doing. I feel a lot more humble and grateful for the things I have, such as my physical and mental health, my access to education and resources, and the basic human needs like food and shelter.

Working in the not-for-profit sector has also taught me the value of collaboration and teamwork. I have had to work closely with volunteers, staff members and other organisations to achieve our goals, and I have learned that no one can do everything alone.

What are your hopes for SOP moving forward?

My hopes for the future of SOP is that it will be in a position to connect the whole nation and to change the paradigm of volunteering and what help in action looks like – it’s immediate and responsive to the pressing need, whether it be baby food, clothing or a nutritious pre-made meal for someone struggling, everyone can get involved in supporting the community and become a part of SOP – it’ll be national, connected and serve everyone.

Looking back, what did you enjoy most about your stint at Bond?

I enjoyed the opportunity to immerse myself in a rigorous academic and business environment, to collaborate and connect with other students, and to learn from high-quality professional mentors, professors and speakers in a small cohort. Going back to studying was a refreshing experience and I approached it with real life experiences. Overall, my time at Bond provided me with the skills, knowledge and confidence to pursue my career goals and make a positive impact in the community.

Young Alumni Award

The Young Alumni Award recognises a recently graduated Bond University student who has consistently demonstrated outstanding voluntary service to Bond University and inspired fellow students to reach their highest potential.

James Rosengren

Class of 2016

How does it feel to be the Young Alumni Award Winner?

It’s really heart warming. I look back on my time at Bond with such fondness and nostalgia and this is a humbling recognition of the impact I was able to have during the time I spent here, which has been a significant contributor to my arrival where I am today.

Tell us about your experience working through the Western Australian flood emergency.

I was working for the Kraft Heinz Company and when the floods hit early last year, the only rail freight route from the east coast into WA was quite literally washed away. My boss called me on a Friday afternoon and said, ‘I need you to sort this out’. Rail is the most cost-efficient way to get product from the east coast to the west. A rail freight container costs about $5000 to transport. Getting the same amount of goods into WA by truck can cost up to $50,000, so that wasn’t really an option. It’s also not common for sea freight to travel from the east coast capitals to Fremantle, and certainly not at the volumes we needed to move. So with only 10 per cent of what customers needed hitting the shelves, the government declared a humanitarian crisis and allowed international shipping companies to move goods on Australian routes.

Long story short, I had to get on the phone and secure spaces for our stock on the ships so we could get the essentials, like canned and bottled goods, that many families depend on, into the state. Then we had to make sure our entire east coast warehouse operation could pivot – packing and loading for shipping containers is a totally different process, so it was all hands on deck. How did you end up in logistics?

I just love solving problems and that’s essentially what my job involves. I didn’t expect to end up in logistics, but as part of the graduate program at Kraft Heinz it was one of the areas I worked in and I just fell in love with it. I had a really supportive boss who gave me the opportunity to work on these key projects, letting me take the lead but always there for guidance if I needed it. Doing a Law/Commerce degree at Bond gave me all the skills I needed for a role like this - learning how to critically think and approach problems in an effective manner. I’m really passionate about it and promoting it as a career because it’s not always something that’s often thought of as an option, but it’s such an interesting, varied and necessary role. I’m now in a new role heading up logistics for Australia and New Zealand with Mars which is an exciting move.

Jeff Brand

Associate Dean, Learning and Teaching, in the Faculty of Society and Design, and Deputy Chair of Academic Senate, Bond University

We are beguiled by ChatGPT because it uses a Large Language Model (LLM), trained on billions of data points from the most basic and powerful of human cultural products: communication.

LLMs are a general-purpose technology; they have many different uses that will transform the nature of work. According to some, LLMs could transform the work of eight in 10 knowledge workers, and many economists predict AI could lead the biggest productivity boom since the 1990s, lifting global GDP by 5-10 per cent.

Exponential growth in computing capacity, a ready supply of computers (including smartphones), commoditised internet connections, a large ready workforce of knowledge workers, and the most natural of interfaces – writing questions and instructions in plain language – means the transition will be rapid, disruptive and full of pitfalls.

For example, today’s LLMs can 'hallucinate'. They make up false facts and sources. In the absence of well-educated knowledge workers and 'prompt engineers', LLMs are limited at least and dangerous at most.

Many are calling for an international agency for artificial intelligence akin to the International Atomic Energy Agency – potential risks are palpable and the opportunities are great.

AI is already changing the nature of knowledge work. While recent models show that a majority of knowledge tasks may be automated, expectations are that high employment levels will continue and that employees will need to build new abilities and update them over their careers. We have already begun to learn how to use AI for greater efficiency, productivity and innovation.

Billions of efficient, productive and innovative humans working with inexhaustible artificial intelligence will require transformational universities that are focused on their students and an increased commitment to a sustainable future. The future of work will be a partnership of human and artificial intelligence. We have a responsibility today to shape that future.

In the age of AI, the job market is already undergoing rapid transformation. When electricity emerged, we had to imagine a world where a person didn’t light the street lamps. With AI (‘the new electricity’) we’re also challenged to reimagine the future of work (and life), just faster.

Standing at the precipice of change across all industries, it is crucial to embrace this technology responsibly and with urgency. Numerous indicators show AI will drive unprecedented productivity and creativity, reshape how we work, and trigger innovation with new products, categories and business models. PwC predicts AI could contribute a staggering $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030.

In the coming years, using AI will be table stakes for businesses and nations. To stand apart, they need to identify how AI can fuel their points of differentiation. Focusing on future-proof skills like problem solving, strategic thinking and relationship building is essential. To achieve this, we must collaborate with AI, fostering a symbiotic relationship, with many individuals shifting from creator to editor. In practice, this means individuals embracing and experimenting with AI apps, and organisations needing robust training, change and technology programs to enable the workforce shift. Promoting diversity and inclusion is also vital. The World Economic Forum gender parity report reveals women represent just 26 per cent of the global data and AI workforce – and that only describes one dimension of diversity. Ensuring diverse backgrounds among those who build, train and utilise AI is pivotal to prevent biases from being amplified at scale. With skills gap shortages across many industries and glaring diversity gaps, we're at an inflection point to shift those historically left behind to the forefront.

Responsibly and proactively embracing AI is key to navigating this transformative era. By preparing the workforce with necessary skills, fostering a symbiotic relationship with AI, and tapping into underrepresented groups, we can unlock new opportunities and ensure a more inclusive and dynamic job market where workers are prepared to thrive.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is more than hype - it is real, here to stay and we are seeing a wave of new ideas and AI-fueled reinvention across virtually every industry. Its arrival is creating a heightened potential for business model disruption - particularly across knowledge work and, more recently, creative work. But there is also a lot of hype, anxiety and misconceptions that we need to navigate. Back in 1996, Bill Gates wisely wrote that `we always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next 10’. Those who are able to see through the hype and noise are more likely to emerge as the ‘disruptors’ rather than the ‘disrupted’.

But how?

Think big but start small.

Every worker should strive to understand the opportunities, risks and limitations of modern AI within their profession - and the best way to do this can often be through using it. For example, if you study or work in climate and sustainability, how well can generative AI identify sources of carbon emissions for a particular industry or supply chain? How could you use self-service AI platforms to create models that predict trends in carbon emissions based on historical data? How could you use large language models to identify sustainability commitments in contracts? The best way to find out is by trying - but of course doing it safely and securely, with the right tools and data. The impact of AI on the job market started many years ago, but it will be gradual. To ensure that workers aren’t left behind, we need to be thinking about the impact that today’s new technology could have in the long term and responding to that today.