Brazen Summit 2026, Day 2: AI, Work and the Infrastructure Behind It

⌖ Bristol · The Beehive Centre

Build confidence with everyday digital tools at this beginner-friendly AI and online skills course in Bristol on Wednesday 4 November 2026. Digital Skills Bristol is a two-hour session for beginners through to improvers who want to feel more capable and informed when using the internet and common digital services. Taking place from 10:45am to 12:45pm GMT at The Beehive Centre in Bristol, it forms part of an eight-week course covering practical digital topics relevant to everyday life. What the course covers The programme introduces five core areas of digital literacy: - Getting online and building broader confidence with digital technology - AI, with content suitable for people who are new to the subject - Emailing and the digital skills associated with online communication - Social media - Online safety, helping participants approach the internet with greater awareness The course explicitly welcomes both complete beginners and people who already have some experience but want to improve. It is therefore better suited to foundational learning than advanced technical training. You do not need to be an AI specialist, programmer or experienced digital creator to fit the intended audience. Format and schedule This is a weekly, in-person digital skills course rather than a one-off talk. The full programme runs for eight weeks, with a break for half term. This listed session takes place on Wednesday 4 November 2026, and the Meetup schedule shows weekly Wednesday meetings continuing until 11 November 2026. The two-hour format gives participants a dedicated setting in which to explore a range of essential topics over the wider course. As individual lesson content is not specified on the event page, attendees should consult the organiser if they need to confirm which of the advertised subjects will be addressed during this particular date. Venue and organiser The session will be held at The Beehive Centre, 19A Stretford Road, Whitehall, Bristol BS5 7AW. It is hosted by Matt F. and organised through the MTrain Computers & Digital Skills Meetup group. View the event and registration details

⌖ Bristol · Natwest Accelerator Hub

Hosted by Bristol NatWest Accelerator

Learn how to choose and use digital technology to grow your business at this one-hour, in-person workshop in Bristol. Hosted by Bristol NatWest Accelerator with Business West, the session takes place on Thursday 5 November 2026, from 10:00am to 11:00am, at NatWest Accelerator Hub, 2 Avon Street, Bristol BS2 0PT. Tech adoption specialists will help attendees understand how the right digital tools can support creation, collaboration, promotion, sales and innovation, while controlling costs and maximising practical benefits. You can expect to: - Explore why choosing the right technology matters to business success - Discuss your own digital challenges - Learn how to avoid common adoption pitfalls - Discover further Tech Adoption for Growth support funded by the UK Government The workshop is designed for businesses in every sector, from recent startups to well-established companies. It is informational rather than a sales presentation: the organisers state that they will not promote specific technology solutions. No individual speakers or detailed tool demonstrations have been announced. Cameras will be present, and photographs may be used on social media. Notify the organisers if you do not want to appear in them. Get tickets

⌖ Bristol · St Nicholas Church

Hosted by techSPARK

Brazen Summit 2026 opens in Bristol with a three-hour programme for senior leaders navigating AI, modernisation and risk. Taking place 09:30–12:30 on Monday 9 November 2026 at St Nicholas Church, this in-person morning combines research, keynotes, a panel and a fireside chat. It is designed for CTOs, CIOs, founders, board members and others responsible for technology strategy or investment. Programme highlights - The State of Tech Leadership in 2027: Ghyston founders Ric Hill and Emily Hill launch the company’s new report, covering AI adoption and returns, legacy systems, regulation, resilience, cybersecurity and the workforce of 2030. - Beyond the Hype: Sam Deacon chairs a panel with Sue Turner OBE, Microsoft Director of Digital Strategy Richard Potter and Tom Heath. They will examine investment trade-offs, liability, infrastructure costs and the organisational structures behind resilient growth. - Legacy Modernisation: From Anchor to Asset: Ric Hill and Mike Whitehead discuss sequencing, internal politics and ways to transform critical systems without a disruptive multi-year rebuild. - Closing keynote: Liam Maxwell, formerly the UK Government’s first CTO, shares practical lessons on risk, regulation and resilience. Breaks between sessions provide time to meet technology and business leaders from across the South West. This is Day 1 of Brazen, Bristol’s weekday festival of technology, creativity and culture, running until 13 November. A separate week pass is available. The event is organised by techSPARK. Tickets are sold through another channel, and the stated refund policy is no refunds. Get tickets for Brazen Summit 2026

Sponsors: Ghyston

⌖ Bristol

Hosted by HackerX

Meet pre-selected local developers through fast, face-to-face interviews at HackerX Bristol on 9 November 2026, an efficient three-hour employer recruiting event. Recruit technical talent in one evening Designed specifically for employers, this in-person HackerX event offers a focused alternative to conventional job fairs and lengthy first-round screening. From 6pm to 9pm in Bristol, hiring teams will meet developers in rapid five-minute intervals, helping them speak with as many potential candidates as possible within a structured three-hour session. HackerX describes itself as the largest invite-only recruiting event for developers. Its wider community includes more than 100,000 members across 175+ cities, while each event concentrates on hand-picked talent from the local market. The format is built around direct conversations, giving employers an opportunity to introduce their company, learn about candidates’ experience and identify people who may be worth progressing through their recruitment process. Skills and candidate targeting The event is intended for organisations recruiting across a broad range of technical disciplines, including: - Artificial intelligence and data science - Full-stack development - iOS development - Other in-demand software and technology skill sets A notable feature is HackerX’s targeted sourcing model. During registration, employers can explain the profiles and skills they are seeking. The organiser then uses those requirements to focus recruitment and shape the candidate room around participating companies’ needs. Who should attend? This employer ticket is suited to recruiters, talent acquisition teams, founders, engineering leaders and hiring managers with current or upcoming technical vacancies. It may be especially useful for teams that want to supplement online applications with short, personal conversations or efficiently assess the breadth of Bristol’s developer talent. The session is in person and follows a speed-dating-style format rather than a programme of presentations or workshops. Employers should therefore come prepared to explain their roles and organisation clearly, ask concise screening questions and capture useful notes between conversations.… Register for this event

⌖ Bristol · KPMG - Bristol

Hosted by AI West

Explore how Bristol’s creativity, sustainability and values could shape responsible AI at this interactive AI West discussion on 10 November 2026. Held at KPMG in Bristol, this two-hour, in-person Community Track event examines how artificial intelligence affects people, businesses and society, and who gets to influence its future. Rather than a traditional panel, it invites the audience to contribute perspectives alongside local experts. Topics and speakers Hosted by AI ethicist Annabel Gillard, founder of LSE FORGOOD and Conversations on AI, the discussion will explore: - How AI is changing how people live, work and connect - Whether Bristol can bring a distinctive voice to the global AI debate - What responsible AI looks like in practice - How communities and organisations can support positive social and economic change The panel also features Lisa Minogue-White, a specialist in people, learning and technology; Emmy-nominated documentary producer and director Vicky Matthews; James Hobbs, CTO of Aer Studios and an advocate for sustainable digital practices; and Su Crighton, KPMG Partner focused on AI value, transformation, risk and adoption at scale. No technical knowledge is required. The session is designed for students, creatives, business leaders, technologists, researchers and anyone interested in AI’s societal impact. When: Tuesday 10 November 2026, 5:30–7:30pm Where: KPMG Bristol, 66 Queen Square, Bristol BS1 4BE Refunds: Available up to seven days before the event The event forms part of Brazen, techSPARK’s city-wide technology, creativity and culture festival. Attendees can also continue to AI West’s nearby “Claude have mercy” session afterwards. Get tickets

⌖ Bristol · Dareshack

Hosted by AI West

Explore how AI is reshaping jobs and working life at this funny, thought-provoking evening with author and future-of-work expert Kester Brewin in Bristol. Held at Dareshack on Tuesday 10 November 2026, this informal, highly participatory session examines what AI’s growing ability to write, code and design could mean for people entering the workforce, changing careers or planning their professional future. Doors open at 6:30pm for networking, with the main event running 7:45–10pm. What to expect Drawing on current research and his book GODLIKE: A 500-Year History of Artificial Intelligence in Myths, Machines, Monsters, Kester will explore: - Which jobs are changing and what this means for new entrants - Humanity’s long fascination with intelligent machines - How AI could reshape opportunity, society and working life - Ways to build a future of work that benefits more people Kester Brewin is Associate Director at the Institute for the Future of Work, a TEDx speaker and a contributor to BBC Radio 4, The Guardian and the Times Educational Supplement. Expect humour, candid questions, audience participation and practical hope rather than doom and gloom. No technical knowledge is required. The event welcomes students, graduates, jobseekers, professionals, creatives and anyone curious about AI’s effect on their career. It is presented by AI West as part of the Brazen technology, creativity and culture festival. Refunds are available up to seven days before the event. Get tickets