The National AI in Government 2026
15Hatfields, London 7 July 2026, 9:00am - 4:00pm
8:30am
Registration
9:30am
Chair's Welcome Address
Dwayne Stewart, Principal Analyst - Central Government, UK Public Sector, GlobalData
9:40am
Opening Keynote: Advancing Public Services with AI: Innovation, Strategy, and Collaboration
- Understand the current AI landscape in the UK public sector, key opportunities, trends, and challenges for local and central government
- Discuss how government and industry can collaborate effectively to drive innovation while maintaining trust, security, and accountability
- Explore future priorities and actionable insights for leaders tasked with implementing AI solutions that are both transformative and sustainable
Heather Cover‑Kus, Associate Director, Central Government & Education, techUK
10:00am
Turning National Ambition into Local Delivery
- Local AI programme – scope, progress and learning so far
- Building foundations for responsible AI in local delivery
- Examples of the use of AI in local government
Kat Sexton, Deputy Director - Local AI, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
10:20am
The Lighthouse Problem: Why public sector AI rollouts must start with data discovery
Across UK government, AI copilots are rolling out faster than the governance behind them. In this interactive session, Chris Howarth explains an uncomfortable truth: most organisations do not know where their sensitive data lives — and that is where safe AI must begin
Chris Howarth, UK Public Sector Sales Manager, BigID
10:40am
Questions and answers
10:50am
Break and Networking
11:20am
Presenting Partner
- Questions and answers
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
11:40am
AI, Data Protection and Public Sector Compliance
- Responsible AI and Public Trust (a good link to be able to discuss both our most recent and upcoming AI strategy)
- AI Procurement and Public-Private Collaboration (this will link to some specific work we’re undertaking as part of our new strategy)
- Data-Driven Decision-Making and Automation (I can talk about our recent work on automated decision making, including our updated guidance)
- Questions and answers
Declan McDowell-Naylor, PhD, Group Manager, AI and Biometrics, Technology Policy Department, Information Commissioner’s Office
12:00pm
Striking the Balance: Accuracy, Fairness, and Ethical AI in Government
- Explore the challenges of ensuring algorithmic accuracy while avoiding bias and unintended targeting of specific groups
- Understand how governments can build trustworthy, transparent, and ethical AI systems that uphold fairness and accountability
- Gain practical tools for embedding data ethics frameworks into AI design, procurement, and deployment in the public sector
- Questions and answers
Dr Kay Achenbach, Head of Data Ethics, Senior Learning Specialist, The Open Data Institute
12:20pm
Responsible AI Starts with Trusted Data: Building Safe and Scalable AI in Government
- Questions and answers
Ken Hunter, Lead Solutions Consultant, OpenText
12:40pm
Lunch and Networking
1:40pm
From Backup To Threat Intelligence: The Blueprint for AI Governance
Autonomous AI is transforming the enterprise, but unlocking its true potential requires a new security standard. By providing a unified control layer across custom agents, closed systems, and shadow AI, we will discuss how to empower your organisation to securely accelerate innovation without compromising your critical data.
Guy Batey, Head of Specialist Engineering EMEA, Rubrik
2:00pm
Using AI Algorithms to Transform UK Weather Forecasting
- Learn how the Met Office is embedding AI into its forecasting systems to improve the accuracy and speed of weather predictions
- Explore the role of FastNet in connecting AI and weather prediction
- Questions and answers
Professor Kirstine Dale, Chief AI Officer (CAIO), Met Office
2:20pm
AI Innovation in Real Time: Regulating and Enabling AI in the Energy Sector
- Developing AI policy for the energy sector in real time
- Using regulatory tools, sandboxes and AI innovation labs to support responsible experimentation and deployment across the energy sector
- Exploring how regulators can adopt AI within their own processes to strengthen oversight, monitoring and evidence-based decision-making
- Questions and answers
Kerry Sheehan, Principal AI Policy and Innovation Lead, Ofgem
2:40pm
Break and Networking
3:05pm
Preparing the Public Sector Workforce for AI
- The AI skills gap across government
- What capabilities will civil servants and council staff need by 2030
- How to build AI literacy beyond technical teams
- Questions and answers
Dr Nisreen Ameen, AI Policy Advisor and Director, Digital Organisation and Society (DOS) Research Centre, Royal Holloway, University of London and Skills England
3:25pm
Embedding AI Skills Across the Public Sector
- Translate AI workforce strategies into practical, scalable upskilling programmes across government
- Identify what works in building AI capability across different roles
- Explore tools, frameworks and partnerships that support continuous learning and skills development
- How to assess capability, confidence and organisational readiness for AI adoption
- Questions and answers
Dr Matthew Forshaw, Senior Advisor for Skills, The Alan Turing Institute
3:45pm
Chair's Closing Summary
Dwayne Stewart, Principal Analyst - Central Government, UK Public Sector, GlobalData
3:50pm
Close
*programme subject to change without notice