AI in Government 2026
Advancing Public Services Through Responsible Innovation
CorpAcq Stadium, Greater Manchester 29 January 2026, 9:00am - 4:00pm
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8:30am
Registration
9:30am
Chair's Welcome Address
Keeley Crockett, Professor in Computational Intelligence, Manchester Metropolitan University
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
Sue Daley OBE, Director Technology & Innovation, techUK
10:00am
Headline Sponsor
Representative from SAP Concur UK Enterprise
10:20am
Using AI to Drive Innovation and Inclusive Growth in Local Government
- Explore how Liverpool City Council is harnessing artificial intelligence to drive innovation, deliver more efficient public services, and support inclusive economic growth
- Discuss the city's journey in adopting new technologies responsibly
Councillor Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council and Cabinet Member for Innovation
10:40am
Presenting Partner
Representative from Softwire
11:00am
Break and Networking
11:30am
AI in Action: Real-World Cases of AI Transforming Local and Central Government
- Examine the current AI adoption landscape across UK government departments
- Explore the Government Office for Science’s research into evaluating AI models and tools
Sara Babahami, Head of AI Projects and Tech Engagement, Government Office for Science
11:50am
Presenting Partner
Representative from Verto Cloud
12:10pm
Case Study: Using AI to Transform UK Weather Forecasting
- Learn how the Met Office responded to the AI Revolution and rapidly stood up a Change Programme: AI4Everyone
- Hear how AI is embedding in weather forecasting and climate modelling
- Understand how AI is being harnessed to support innovation in products and service so that the Met Office deliver ‘the most trusted weather and climate intelligence in a radically changing world’
Professor Kirstine Dale, Chief AI Officer (CAIO), Met Office
12:30pm
Presenting Partner
Representative from Equal Experts
12:50pm
Lunch and Networking
1:50pm
The Probabilistic Nature of AI Systems and the Risks of Misinterpretation
- Understand how algorithms process data probabilistically and the implications for accuracy, confidence levels, and error margins
- Discuss the risks of misinterpretation, bias, and misinformation when probabilistic outputs are presented as factual or deterministic
- Listen to case studies showing how probability must be understood and communicated in decision-making
- Explore practical strategies for leaders to build literacy in AI probability, ensuring responsible use of AI in public services
Sherlock di Schiavi, Head of Security Architecture, Office for Nuclear Regulation, and UK Global Ambassador for Responsible AI
2:10pm
Driving Digital Transformation with AI in Business and Trade
- Explore how the Department for Business and Trade is using AI and data-driven systems to streamline services, enhance user experience, and improve decision-making
- Understand the role of AI in enabling smarter trade policy, regulatory compliance, and digital service delivery across the UK and international markets
- Learn how strong leadership, digital capability building, and collaboration are key to embedding AI responsibly across government systems
Claire Harrison, Future DBT Digital Director, Department for Business and Trade
2:30pm
Upskilling the Public Sector Workforce for the AI Era
- Understand the current levels of AI and data literacy across government and the barriers to adoption
- Explore practical approaches to upskilling civil servants, policymakers, and frontline staff to confidently use AI
- Embed continuous learning and skills development to ensure sustainable, responsible AI adoption in the public sector
Dr Matthew Forshaw, Senior Advisor for Skills, The Alan Turing Institute
2:50pm
Break and Networking
3:15pm
Driving Innovation Through Cross-Sector Collaboration and Embodied Intelligence from AI
- Examine how partnerships between government, academia, and industry are accelerating the development and deployment of robotics and embodied intelligence to tackle complex, high-stakes challenges
- Explore how collaborative leadership and innovation ecosystems like RAICo are bridging research and real-world application across sectors
- Questions and answers
Dr Kirsty Hewitson FRSC, Director, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Collaboration (RAICo), UK Atomic Energy Authority
3:40pm
Closing Keynote: Navigating Risks, Responsibilities, and Liabilities in the Age of AI
- Explore the evolving risks and responsibilities associated with AI deployment across government systems, and examine where current governance gaps exist
- Assess how we can measure and manage AI-related risks, drawing on established health and safety constructs to build safeguards that protect individuals and maintain public trust
- Discuss how to strike a healthy balance between innovation and accountability, ensuring that AI serves the public good while upholding ethical and legal standards
- Questions and answers
Helen Tung, Barrister, Tung Chambers
4:00pm
Chair's Closing Summary
Keeley Crockett, Professor in Computational Intelligence, Manchester Metropolitan University
4:05pm
Close
*programme subject to change without notice