Beyond the Algorithm: Understanding AI's Power

About

AI systems now write code, generate images, produce news content, and increasingly make decisions that affect everyday life—from what we see online to how businesses operate and resources are allocated. What once felt experimental is now embedded in the tools, platforms, and institutions many of us rely on, often in ways that are invisible but deeply influential.

This rapid integration has been matched by an intense media narrative: AI as breakthrough, AI as threat, AI as inevitable force reshaping work, creativity, and society itself. Headlines promise transformation or warn of disruption, yet the reality is more complex than either story suggests. Understanding where the technology truly is—and what its impacts actually look like—requires stepping beyond the hype.

Bringing together academic insight and technical expertise, Ron Chrisley (University of Sussex), Mark Kennedy (Imperial College London), and Oli Sharpe (GoMeta) will examine how AI is shaping our economy, our culture, and our future. In this timely and crucial discussion, they will explore what’s changing now, what remains uncertain, and which questions matter most as AI becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life.

*This event takes place upstairs in the Nightingale Room, of The Grand Central Pub. Unfortunately there is no wheelchair access at this venue.*