What if communities could shape the AI systems that increasingly govern their lives? What if data became a tool for collective empowerment rather than corporate extraction?

Welcome to the Data Empowerment Clinic launch – where these possibilities become practical realities.

Hosted by King's College London's Centre for Data Futures, this one-day event brings together practitioners, experts, students, researchers, funders and policymakers to move past theory and into practical, solution-oriented dialogue.

Featuring keynotes from Sir Nigel Shadbolt (Principal of Jesus College, University of Oxford and co-founder, and chairman of the Open Data Institute) and Vilas Dhar (President of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation), we will introduce the Clinic's vision, spotlight early partners, and open the floor to conversations about what it takes to build data empowerment structures.

The Clinic is designed to build capacity by training students who learn through advising real-world data empowerment projects, while simultaneously creating a peer learning community where organizations facing different geographical and socio-economic circumstances can learn from each other.

If you're building, organising, or reimagining technology to address social challenges, we'd love to have you in the room.

To learn more about the Clinic or explore how we can support your work, get in touch with us at cdf@kcl.ac.uk

Agenda*

8:30 – 9:00 AM
Arrival & Registration
Tea & Coffee

9:00 – 9:10 AM
Welcome & Introduction to the Data Empowerment Clinic

Speakers: Prof. Sylvie Delacroix and Suha Mohamed, Centre for Data Futures

9:10 – 9:40 AM
The Clinic's First Cohort: Partners & Communities in Focus
Overview of the vision, goals, and preview of case studies the clinic will engage with

Speakers: Suha Mohamed, Centre for Data Futures; Sara Wolfe, Indigenous Health Data Cooperative; Rose Luckin & Rob Robson, Educate Ventures Research, and Dr Mark Coté, King's College London 

9:40 – 10:20 AM
Beyond Consultation: The Path to Meaningful and Sustained Participation - Exploring approaches that move beyond tokenistic engagement towards deep, sustained participation. 

Speakers: Vinay Narayan, Aapti Institute; Julian Tait, Open Data Manchester; Lisa Gutermuth, Mozilla Foundation; Jack Hardinges, Independent Consultant (Data Infrastructure, Data Governance + Responsible AI)

10:20 – 11:15 AM
Lightning Talks – Innovation in Practice
Short, rapid-fire talks from grassroots stewards and practitioners leading bottom-up empowerment efforts.   

Part 1: Dirk Slater (Fabriders) & Hannah Webster (Carefull). Critical Companion: Tim Davies (Connected by Data)

Part 2: Estefanie J Govea (GliaNet Alliance) & StJohn "Singe" Deakins (DataSapien). Critical Companion: Sarah Nicole (Project Liberty)

Part 3: Natasha Nicholson & Alex Krook (Prospect Brixham)

11:15 – 11:30 AM
Coffee Break

11:30 – 12:30 PM
Thematic Mini Teach-Ins – Making Empowerment Tangible
Three interactive short-form sessions: 

• Participation in Action [Reema Patel,Elgon Social & Octavia Field Reid, Ada Lovelace Institute]
• Transitioning to Stewardship: Strategies & Business Models [Tony Curzon Price, First International Data Union & Jens Molbak (NewImpact) - Video]
• Regulatory Frameworks for Empowerment: Global Lessons [Dr Shyam Krishna, RAND Europe &  Roger Taylor, King`s College London]

12:30 – 1:30 PM Lunch Break

1:30 – 1:50 PM
Keynote #1 – Empowerment in the Age of AI: The Need of the Hour
Speaker:  Vilas Dhar, President, Patrick J McGovern Foundation. Introduction by Professor Sylvie Delacroix, Director of the Centre for Data Futures

1:50 – 3:05 PM
Connecting the Dots - Making empowerment a reality across the data lifecycle

Empowerment should be considered across the data lifecycle - from supporting communities to engage at the point of data generation to designing participatory interfaces for data-intensive systems like LLMs - and shape the way we conceive, design, build, and govern technology.

This interactive session will connect the dots and identify the interventions, policy levers, and forms of collaboration needed across these stages to embed empowerment as part of a broader movement.

3:05 – 3:20 PM
Afternoon Coffee Break

3:20 – 3:30 PM
Mozilla Foundation × Data Empowerment Clinic - Launching Our Co-Built Learning Resources
A collaborative unveiling of new resources designed to support communities and practitioners.

Speakers: Jaselle Edward-Gill, Mozilla Foundation, and Suha Mohamed, Centre for Data Futures

3:30 – 3:50 PM
Keynote #2 – Empowering Societies Through Data
A closing provocation on data empowerment
Speaker: Sir Nigel Shadbolt, Principal of Jesus College, University of Oxford and co-founder, and chairman of the Open Data Institute. Introduction by Professor Sir Bashir Al-Hashimi, Vice President (Research & Innovation), King's College London

3:50 – 4:50 PM
Panel – Philanthropy & the Future of Data Empowerment
Funders reflect on needs, risks, and the long-term support mechanisms required to meaningfully scale empowerment.

Chair: Prof. Sylvie Delacroix, Centre for Data Futures; speakers: Sushant Kumar, Kalpā Impact; Dr Tomicah Tillemann, Project Liberty and EM Lewis-Jong, Mozilla Data Collective

4:50 – 5:00 PM
Closing Reflections & Next Steps

5:00 – 5:45 PM
Networking and Drinks reception

*Please note: Speakers and facilitators are currently being confirmed. Agenda is subject to slight adjustments.