We were delighted to convene a vibrant community from across King's, fostering genuine connections between colleagues who might not otherwise have met, encouraging the creation of new ideas and approaches, facilitating rich communication across disciplinary boundaries, and sparking meaningful collaboration that we hope will continue to flourish.
Professor Kate Devlin, Chair-Director, Digital Futures Institute
01 August 2025
Reimagining tomorrow: Digital Futures Institute Unconference sparks conversations on AI and humanity
Academics from across King’s explored the complex relationship between technology and humanity at the Digital Futures Institute Unconference.
On 14 July, 50 academics from across King’s came together for the Digital Futures Institute Unconference – a participant-led event dedicated to exploring the evolving relationship between technology and humanity.
Facilitated by 64 Million Artists, the Digital Futures Institute Unconference adopted an open space format that placed participants at the heart of the event. This collaborative structure allowed attendees to set the agenda themselves, sparking cross-disciplinary dialogue. Participants explored themes such as what, if anything, the past can teach us; whether artificial intelligence might lead to new forms of enslavement; and whether, in an increasingly automated world, we still have a choice in shaping our futures.
Participants reflected on the power of the unconference format:
I can't imagine a better format for generating networks and collaborations, as without the user-led structure, many of the most valuable conversations would not even have started.
Participant
It is mind-blowing how not asking for any outcome brings back the bigger outcomes, every time.
Professor Federico Turkheimer, participant
Building on the conversations and connections from the Unconference, the Digital Futures Institute will host a concept development workshop on 10 September. To participate, please contact digitalfutures@kcl.ac.uk.
The next round of the Institute’s flagship Fellowship Scheme 2026–2027 will launch in September, offering new opportunities to deepen inquiry and collaboration at the intersection of technology and society.
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Professor of Artificial Intelligence & Society