How the week unfolded.

Dr Tommaso Spinelli, AI Advisor at Zaizi, opens proceedings, setting the scene for a day spent examining the technology reshaping how we live and work.

No technology arrives in a vacuum, and AI is no exception. It is being built inside existing systems of power and politics, shaped by them and increasingly reshaping them in return. This session examines that two-way relationship and what it means for who holds influence in the years ahead.

An in-person practical introduction to Microsoft Copilot for charities that want to save time and work more efficiently. No experience needed, and nothing to buy. The session covers what is actually changing in AI versus hype, what Copilot is across the Microsoft ecosystem, real charity use cases, hands-on practice, and practical next steps for safe, responsible adoption. Led by Graham Hoskings, Senior AI Business Solutions Engineer at Microsoft. Organised by Tech4Good South West.

EVENT HOST

AI is moving faster than the defences built around it. This candid conversation explores what it takes to keep AI systems secure and the new risks the technology brings with it. It gets past the hype to where the real vulnerabilities lie and what organisations should be doing about them.

More and more of the world's code is now written by AI, and a blind spot is growing alongside it. This session looks for the vulnerabilities hiding in plain sight and asks what developers and organisations must do before they surface.

AI is transforming the way tech companies contract, from auto-generated terms of service to AI-powered procurement tools and algorithmic pricing. But the law hasn't caught up, and the risks are real. This session cuts through the hype with practical, no-jargon guidance on the commercial and contractual issues every tech business needs to get right, including who owns what AI creates and how to handle IP when your product trains on or generates content.

EVENT HOST

Maybe* CEO Polly Barnfield OBE shares how AI measured 1,054 businesses across 16 Gloucestershire market towns, revealing places loved in person but hard to find online. Featuring Tetbury’s success story, and The Big AI Secret: why the best AI wins are rarely talked about.

Some of the most promising uses of AI are being pioneered on our doorstep. This spotlight shines a light on the research and ideas pushing the technology forward, and what they could mean for the world around us.

In the rush to adopt AI, some questions are too easily skipped. From the impact on people and jobs to the environmental cost, this session confronts the ethical considerations no organisation can afford to overlook, and explores what thoughtful adoption really looks like.

A hands-on workshop on the new way to build with AI. Describe what you want, and watch it come to life, no deep coding background required. A practical, roll-your-sleeves-up session exploring how AI is opening up web app creation to everyone, and how far you can take it.

EVENT HOST

It is easy to cast AI as something that happens to the workforce. In reality, people decide how it is built, adopted and used. This session turns the story around, exploring what that means for the skills we need and the careers of tomorrow.

Ainga Pillai, Founder and CEO of Zaizi, draws the day's threads together and looks to what comes next.

Three short tech talks from Gloucestershire AI companies exploring what the future looks like with AI in products, what is possible now that wasn't two years ago, and the risks to be aware of. Chaired by Prof Gaven Smith, with talks from Simon Smith (Ripjar), James Campbell (Nimbus) and Mark Adams (TrustGraph), followed by the chance to network with the speakers.

A partner event hosted by Plexal exploring what AI sovereignty means as strategic competition reshapes the global technology landscape.

EVENT PARTNER