Prof Simon ColtonResearcher

Simon Colton is a Artificial Intelligence (AI) researcher specialising in the study of Computational Creativity. His research involves the implementation of generative systems within contexts where the software itself takes on creative responsibilities in arts and science projects. He has built systems such as The Painting Fool, where the aim of the project is for the software to be taken seriously as an artist in its own right, The WhatIf Machine, which performs fictional ideation for cultural appropriation, and the Wevva app which enables videogame design directly on hand-held devices.

Simon was Professor of Computational Creativity at SensiLab. In this role he is using these AI implementations as a platform to study stakeholder issues, human computer interaction, frameworks for assessment of creativity and philosophical issues of Computational Creativity.

Simon has led research groups at Imperial College London, Goldsmiths College and Falmouth University in the UK, and currently holds academic appointments at both Monash University and Queen Mary University of London. He has an honours degree in mathematics from the University of Durham, an MSc in pure mathematics from the University of Liverpool, and a PhD in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Edinburgh. He has also undertaken much public engagement around AI, via art exhibitions, game jams, after school clubs and public speaking.