2026 Programme Overview

State of the Sector overview
Dr Rónán O’Beirne
Librarian, Digital Transformer & Author

As AI rapidly reshapes the information ecosystem, how do we balance innovation with transparency, trust, and accountability? This opening address will lay out the current digital landscape and explore some of the critical challenges facing the UK today.

The presentation will consider the ascendancy of media literacy to counter mis- dis- information and create a ‘safe, informed digital nation’; AI ethics and the lack of regulation and strategic prioritisation; green AI and sustainability; and the growing impetus for AI and data sovereignty amidst the dominance of US Big Tech.

Keynote | AI Sovereignty
Professor Alan Brown
Strategy Advisor, Entrepreneur, and Professor in Digital Economy

AI Sovereignty will be the focus of this year’s keynote from Professor Alan Brown, a leading authority on AI, digital transformation and the digital economy. With a career spanning IBM, Silicon Valley, the Alan Turing Institute and major UK AI research programmes, Alan is renowned for helping organisations understand and harness emerging technologies. His keynote will offer valuable insights from one of the UK’s foremost voices on the strategic impact of AI.

Data Sovereignty – can we take back control?
Martin De Saulles
Technology Analyst and Writer

Two US companies, Amazon Web Services and Microsoft, control up to 80% of the UK cloud computing market. Another two US companies, Google and Apple, control 99.5% of UK mobile phone operating systems (Android and iOS). One US company, Meta, provides a messaging service, WhatsApp, used by over 80% of the UK adult population as well as social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram, used by three quarters of UK internet users. Almost all the UK’s personal and commercial data, whether we like it or not, flows through the networks and devices and is stored on the servers of five American companies. This has all happened over the last 20 years. The erratic and often hostile behaviour of the current US administration is making many politicians and business leaders around the world wonder what levers of power might be used next to exert control. How should we plan for scenarios where our data becomes one of these levers? Realistically, what can the UK do to take back control of its data and what might that mean for our economy and its citizens? This presentation considers those questions and provides some answers.

How libraries can use open AI
Daniel van Strien
Machine Learning Librarian, Hugging Face

Most people know AI through the products of a few large companies. Alongside those, a rich ecosystem of open models exists. These come in different sizes, focus on different tasks, and are built by a community of developers, companies, researchers, and individuals. This talk looks at why libraries may want to use this ecosystem and how they can do it. It will also discuss how they can contribute to it.

The Librarian Will See You Now: Staying Essential in an AI-Powered World
Norma Menabney
Subject Librarian, McClay Library, Queen’s University Belfast

AI has rapidly become part of everyday professional practice, reshaping how libraries support research and deliver discovery services. But what does that mean for information professionals? Drawing on case studies from her own experience, Norma Menabney, Subject Librarian at Queen’s University Belfast, will show how practical applications of AI translate into real impact. Central to this is how AI has freed up time for deeper, more focused engagement with academic researchers — offering bespoke training and resources, and efficiency gains in the search process. Through these examples, she will show how this has positioned the librarian as a genuinely valuable asset, rather than a peripheral service. She will also reflect on broader questions arising from this experience: how librarians can teach AI and information literacy, including remodelling content for different audiences; how they might demonstrate the value of library resources as users increasingly interact with information through AI-enabled tools; and what it means to stay connected to institutional conversations shaping AI strategy.

AI-supported coding
Dr. Suvodeep Mazumdar,
Senior Lecturer, School of Information, Journalism and Communication, Programme Leader MSc Data Science, The University of Sheffield

Coding is no longer the exclusive domain of software developers. From low-code platforms to AI-assisted and “vibe coding” approaches, this session explores how professionals across the knowledge, information and library sectors can harness new tools to automate tasks, build solutions, and innovate with confidence, while understanding the risks and limitations.

AI, taxonomies and information architecture
Helen Lippell
Taxonomy Consultant

AI is only as good as the information it can access and understand. This session examines how taxonomies, metadata and information architecture are evolving to support smarter search, stronger governance and more effective AI-powered knowledge management.

Natural language processing
Professor Tony Russell Rose
Professor in UX Engineering, City St George’s University of London

From chatbots and copilots to semantic search and automated summarisation, Natural Language Processing (NLP) is powering many of today’s most transformative AI applications. This session explores the latest developments in how machines understand, interpret and generate human language, and what these advances mean for information, knowledge and digital professionals.