As AI continues to revolutionise industries, creativity, and communication, one question remains at the heart of innovation: how do we ensure technology enhances, rather than replaces, human connection?
This year, we bring together thought leaders, researchers, and industry pioneers to discuss the future of AI with a people-first approach. Through keynote sessions, interactive panels, and hands-on workshops, we’ll explore how AI can empower human creativity, foster collaboration, and drive ethical progress. From healthcare to education, finance to the arts, AI is shaping the way we work and live. But behind every algorithm and automation, there is a human story.
Join us as we delve into the opportunities and challenges of an AI-driven world – where empathy, ethics, and inclusivity are just as important as efficiency and performance.
Whether you’re an AI developer, business leader, policymaker, or creative innovator, Transforming Together is your opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations, forge new connections, and help shape the future of human-centred AI.
Let’s redefine the role of technology – together.
- Industry leading keynote speakers
- Panel discussions
- Practical workshops
- Space and time for learning and networking with other professionals
- A networking lunch
Keynote Speakers
Seema Flower - AI and Visual Impairment Advocate
Seema Flower is a leading voice in AI and accessibility, dedicated to ensuring blind and visually impaired individuals benefit from technological advancements. As the founder of Blind Ambition, she champions inclusive design in workplaces, public spaces, and digital environments, collaborating with global organisations to shape technology that removes barriers rather than creating them.An engaging speaker and recognised accessibility expert, Seema has worked with major organisations – including UK Parliament, Microsoft, and NHS Trusts – to advance disability inclusion. Featured in The Shaw Trust Power 100, she regularly speaks at corporate events, tech conferences, and diversity summits, challenging businesses and policymakers to integrate accessibility as a core innovation.Seema highlights the transformative power of AI-driven tools – from screen readers and real-time object recognition to voice assistants – that enhance independence in education, employment, and daily life. She believes AI is a gateway to greater accessibility, enabling blind individuals to navigate the world with ease.A passionate advocate and visionary leader, Seema continues to shape a future where technology serves everyone equally.
Neil Harrison - The Adoptologists
Neil Harrison is the Founder of The Adaptologists, a consultancy specialising in helping mid-sized UK organisations to succeed with strategic AI adoption. Through human-centred change leadership, business case design, and innovation pilots, The Adaptologists guide leaders to discover their “why” for AI, ensuring measurable results with engaged teams.With over 25 years of global change leadership experience, Neil brings practical insights from leading complex organisational change in the UK, US, and Australia. He pioneered the 4P Human-led AI Adoption Framework (Prepare, Propose, Pilot, Progress), a flexible approach that ensures AI adoption is strategic, people-centred, and outcome-driven.
Erja Klemola - COO – Pandatron
Driven by a passion for transformative change, Erja Klemola brings a unique blend of strategic consulting and Operational Excellence to the world of artificial intelligence. With a background in guiding organizations through complex transformations as a former lead for Change & Culture consulting, Erja now serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Pandatron. Leveraging her deep understanding of process optimization and human capital, she’s dedicated to scaling AI-powered solutions, ensuring seamless integration and maximizing impact. Erja’s focus lies in bridging the gap between cutting-edge technology, the human and work impact and in empowering businesses to unlock the full potential of it’s people.
Micheal Webb - Director of AI – Jisc
Michael Webb leads Jisc’s AI team, which supports the responsible and effective adoption of artificial intelligence across the tertiary education sector. Jisc is the UK’s leading digital, data, and technology agency, focused on tertiary education, research, and innovation. The AI team at Jisc provides advice and guidance, hosts community events, and runs a variety of AI pilot programmes.Michael’s experience and interest in AI began in the early 1990s with early language models and neural networks. He later returned to the field through his work on learning analytics at Jisc in the 2010s. He is now focused on the effective use of AI in education and research and has written and presented extensively on policy, technology, and the use of AI.Beyond artificial intelligence, Michael has been involved in projects related to the Internet of Things, virtual reality, and learning analytics. Before joining Jisc, he worked in the higher education sector, leading IT and learning technology services and teams.
Workshops
Peter Gillis PhD
Peter is an experienced team lead, skilled in the practices of: innovation (JTBD, Lean Startup, Design Thinking), digital strategy, and strategy and corporate company management. Peter is also a researcher with a demonstrated history of working in the EdTech research industry. He lectures on the psychology of learning on several masters programmes.Peter’s research interest is the interaction between motivation and technology-enhanced learning. He holds a first-class honours degree in Psychology. In 2012, he completed an MSc in Technology Enhanced Learning at Trinity College Dublin. Peter recently completed his research on motivation and learning through the PhD programme at TCD.Peter has over two decades commercial experience in the digital design and communications industry. He was Managing Director of one of the first multimedia agencies in Ireland working with blue-chip clients in Ireland and the US.
Peter Wijeratne
Dr. Peter Wijeratne is an Assistant Professor in AI at the University of Sussex. As part of his role, he is the academic convenor for the University’s new Level 7 Apprenticeship in Data Science & AI. He also recently co-founded “retrAIn”, a skills-based consultancy that aims to upskill the public, private, and third sector in AI. He is strongly committed to making AI work for all, through the three tenets of fair AI: regulation, responsibility, and retraining.Peter has a background in physics, engineering, and computer science, which he uses to make AI models, primarily for healthcare. He previously held a Medical Research Council Skills Development Fellowship, during which he developed AI models to for clinical trials of Huntington’s disease. He is a member of a newly formed ethics committee as part of the British Society for Genetic Medicine, advising on the use of AI and personal data in a medical setting.Peter is strongly committed to fairness and equity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). He has conducted outreach activities in schools and started a first-of-its-kind academic mentoring programme, A-COMPS (“Apply Competitively to STEM”), which pairs academics with school students from low-income and under-represented backgrounds to support their applications to university.
More workshops to be added soon. Watch this space!
