Futures and Dialogue

Technology Pathways and Meaningful Innovation

Listening to public voice about how technology can be developed for a better future

Overview

This programme aims to stimulate and contribute to debates and actions that will help to better align the role of technologies, the groups that shape them and the people that use them.

It will enable meaningful iterative dialogue between a range of stakeholders about emerging technologies and their potential social impacts, generating insights for those who create the pathways for technology change.

It also aims to promote greater inclusivity in the creation of those pathways, with the aim of enabling better socio-technical innovation, and better outcomes: meaningful and practical steps towards a just transition to net zero, an inclusive economy and sustainable society.

Three initial scoping and foresight pilots were commissioned in 2023 to explore the gaps and trends in existing public dialogue around the transition to Net Zero; future technology trends and opportunities; and future societal needs, impacts and relationships. These pilots are helping to inform the Academy’s plans for emerging engagement and dialogue activities.

People's AI stewardship summits

New summit: Liverpool, January 2025

The third People’s AI Stewardship Summit (PAISS) brought together the public with leaders from the public sector, industry, policy, and academia to explore the impact of AI on Liverpool’s future. Like previous summits in Belfast and Glasgow, the event aimed to foster dialogue between the public and those designing, building, researching, regulating and implementing these technologies. The event focused on the opportunities and challenges AI poses, particularly in health and infrastructure—salient issues for Liverpool and the broader Northwest.

Explore a breakdown of the event below to find out what was discussed in each session and how the people of Liverpool feel about AI.

Learn more about the summits