Hello, and welcome back to our monthly newsletter!

It's been an action-packed month for our Digital Strategy team, with panels at Connected North, Digital City Festival, and the Eurocities Digital Forum in Rotterdam. 

From exploring how increased collaboration between connectivity companies & housing associations could increase quality of life for people in local communities, to representing Manchester's inclusive approach to technology on the European stage, we've been grateful for the opportunities to share our ambitious vision for Manchester's digital future. 

Being an active part of Manchester's broader digital ecosystem is hugely important to us. Participating in leading sector events enables us to champion our people-first approach to digital on a wider scale, and lend support to initiatives that are most likely to make a tangible difference to the lives of everyday people. Opportunities to explore pioneering work in our sector, exchange ideas, learn from cutting-edge research, and connect with those that share our values enable us to deepen our digital knowledge and can inspire solutions to some of our key societal challenges. 

We're excited to continue sharing our journey towards making Manchester a world-leading digital city, where everyone can benefit from cutting-edge technology, future-proofed infrastructure, and a thriving digital economy.

This month, we're announcing our first conference event, AI for All; highlighting the life-changing impact of the partnership between our incredible Digital Inclusion and homelessness charity Barnabus; and celebrating the launch of our AI Roadshows in local communities.

Happy reading!

How can AI be used to confront some of the biggest challenges in society today?

This month, we were thrilled to announce the launch of our first conference event: AI for All. 

We believe that when used ethically, advances in AI can – and should - be leveraged to build a more healthy, prosperous, and sustainable future for everyone.

AI for All is our call to action for developing AI systems and approaches that prioritise human ideals, needs and participation. The event will provide opportunities to hear from leading voices in the field through presentations, project showcases, and panel discussions.

While our full agenda isn't yet live, we can promise a day of trailblazing, thought-provoking, and inspirational talks.

Expect to hear incredible speakers from organisations including We and AI, Noisy Cricket, and Nexer Digital, among many more! In the meantime, keep an eye on our social media to be the first to find out about what we've got in store.

To join the conversation on shaping approaches to AI that are accessible, inclusive, and ethical, register for your free ticket below. Tickets are more than 90% sold out, so make sure to grab them before they go!

Our AI roadshows have been on the move! 

Over the last few months, academics from The Manchester Metropolitan University have delivered five free training and discussion sessions within community spaces in Cheetham, Miles Platting and Newton Heath, Harpurhey, and Moston.

To widen the accessibility of the training to include a more diverse range of people, sessions were launched in areas of Greater Manchester identified by the Digital Inclusion Risk Index (DERI) as being at greatest risk of digital exclusion. 

During each roadshow session, researchers facilitated an introduction to AI, its applications, and its impact on everyday life. Using Ready, Steady, Cook style voting cards, residents and researchers come together to discuss and debate real-life use cases of AI. Some of the topics explored included the trustworthiness of automated decision-making in social care scenarios; the benefits of adopting a robot pet; and whether or not you'd allow your grandmother to use a self-driving wheelchair!

Our AI Roadshows are part of the first phase of the People’s Panel for AI project, which aims to democratise approaches to AI by empowering residents with the knowledge and skills to meaningfully shape the use of AI in front line service delivery

After three events, roadshows had engaged over 40 residents across Greater Manchester, with nearly half expressing interest in participating in the People’s Panel for AI. The People’s Panel, which will launch in June, will enable participants to apply their training to real-world use cases by sharing concerns, insights and feedback on potential applications of AI in service delivery at Manchester City Council. 

To find out more about the rationale behind the project, and what we hope to achieve, read the full story on our website. 

Last month we bid a bittersweet farewell to our wonderful Digital Strategy interns, Chiara Bassini and Hyeran Lee.

Since joining us in January, Hyeran and Chiara have worked on ambitious, real-world projects that have had a tangible impact on the ways in which we communicate with our wider city & hugely benefited our team.

The 20 day placement, offered in partnership with The University of Manchester, enabled students to apply the skills, knowledge & understanding gained over their degree studies to a genuine working environment.

We interviewed Chiara and Hyeran before and after their placement to reflect on their hopes for the future, their biggest successes, and overall experience within the Digital Strategy team. 

Why not explore Chiara and Hyeran's reflections to discover how working with a diverse range of talent can support talented young people to develop their careers?