Leadership in the age of AI Breakfast with Doug Gurr, Chair of the Alan Turing Institute
Our Public Services and Regulation team hosted a breakfast session on leadership in the age of AI. We were thrilled to welcome Doug Gurr, Chair of the Alan Turing Institute, along with a group of public sector Chief Executives. The conversation was both enlightening and practical. Doug’s clear and accessible explanations helped us see AI in a new light—it’s not as intimidating as it seems! He reminded us that AI shouldn’t be feared because ultimately, we are the ones in control of the machines, not the other way around. Particularly uplifting was Doug’s wisdom regarding the accessibility and immediate feasibility of utilising AI as a catalyst for constructive change.
Generative AI – the end of law firms or a new beginning
Our Legal and Professional Services team hosted a succession of events earlier this year entitled “Generative Artificial Intelligence – The End of Professional Services firms or a New Beginning?”. We were joined by Cliff Fluet, a Partner at Lewis Silkin LLP, and Dr Eve Poole, an academic and author who specialises in leadership, who shared their views on this topic in conversation with Matt Byrne, Director of Insight at The Lawyer. They explored some of the principles at the heart of the AI agenda, proposing ways to balance the benefits of generative AI with the wisdom, ingenuity and moral compass that have guided us for generations. It was clear that AI cannot be examined in a vacuum, but rather must be considered in the context of our engagement with it.
We highly recommend Dr Poole’s latest book. Robot Souls: Programming in Humanity offers a fresh perspective on the main design challenges in AI: specifically, regarding the development of robots that align with human values while preventing potential rogue behaviour. Dr Poole suggests that one approach to tackling these issues of alignment and control could involve exploring the parallels with how these concerns are already addressed in the design of humans.
A smarter future for UK regulation? Institute of Regulation Conference 2024
The IoR’s 2024 conference, themed ‘Paving the Way for a Smarter Future in UK Regulation,’ aimed to address the multifaceted challenges arising from economic, technological, and social dynamics.
Attended by 160 leaders, the conference sessions considered the opportunities and risks of the UK government’s smart regulation programme, highlighting the need for regulatory methodologies to evolve and adapt. The keynote speakers, Sir Martyn Oliver, recently appointed HM Chief Inspector at Ofsted and Lord Dominic Johnson, Minister for Regulatory Reform, provided valuable insights. The conference covered topics such as regulating AI, international regulatory practices, and improving collaboration among regulatory bodies. Head of Saxton Bampfylde’s Regulation practice, Jonathan Morgan, was a featured speaker, and Saxton Bampfylde, alongside Objective and Deloitte, was pleased to sponsor the conference.
