The National AI in Government 2026
15Hatfields, London 7 July 2026, 9:00am - 4:00pm
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8:30am
Registeration
9:30am
Chair's Welcome Address
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
Presenting Partner
Open Text Corporation
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
Presenting Partner
- Questions and answers
TBC
12:40pm
Lunch and Networking
1:40pm
Putting AI to Work: Evidence Synthesis and Practical Use Cases
- How to make the most out of LLMS in the workplace
- Use case examples
- Best practise prompting techniques
- Questions and answers
Sara Babahami, Founder and CEO of SB Labs
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
3:10pm
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
3:30pm
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
3:50pm
Chair's Closing Summary
4:00pm
Close
*programme subject to change without notice