Webinar Overview:

Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant idea. It is already influencing how decisions are made about employment, housing, policing, education, welfare and health, and the pace of change is only accelerating. For frontline and grassroots organisations, the question is not whether AI will affect the communities we work with, but how, and who gets to decide.

This webinar takes a broad look at how AI is likely to intersect with some of the defining social issues of our time, including employment, inequality, climate change, and social cohesion and division. It considers the opportunities and the risks, and asks what the use of this technology might look like under different political leadership.

At its heart is a simple but urgent argument: minoritised and disenfranchised communities must not simply be on the receiving end of AI. They need to understand it, have a voice in the conversation, and be actively involved in shaping how it develops and is used.
Bringing together practical insight, lived experience, and professional reflection, the session is designed to be accessible and thought-provoking rather than technical, with time built in for audience questions and discussion.

Ideal for:

• Equality, diversity and inclusion leads
• Leaders and staff in voluntary and community sector organisations
• Youth workers, mentors and community practitioners
• Social workers and safeguarding leads
• Youth justice and criminal justice professionals
• Teachers, pastoral leads and education staff
• Health and public health practitioners
• Commissioners, policy leads and anyone working towards social good

Key Takeaways:

• An accessible understanding of what AI is, and what it is not
• How AI is already shaping employment, inequality, climate and social cohesion, and where it is heading
• The opportunities and risks for the communities frontline organisations work with
• Why the political context matters, and how the use of AI could differ under different governments
• Practical ways for organisations and communities to engage with AI rather than be shaped by it
• How to ensure the people most affected by these changes have a genuine voice in them

Additional Benefits:

• Explore the intersection of AI, equity and the social sector in an open, reflective discussion
• Bring your own questions and concerns about what AI means for your work
• Leave with a clearer picture of what AI means for your sector and the people you support
• Connect with professionals across social care, education, health, criminal justice and the VCS

This webinar is essential for professionals and organisations who want to make sure that, as AI develops, the communities most likely to be affected are not left behind, but are at the table shaping what comes next.