The Future of Work: AI, People and Organisations

⌖ Glasgow

Lakehouse Day 2026 is a full-day, multi-track open data conference in Glasgow, covering Apache Iceberg, Hudi, Parquet and the wider lakehouse ecosystem. Co-located with Community Over Code Glasgow 2026 on Saturday 10 October, Lakehouse Day brings together the open-source projects, engineers and organisations shaping modular lakehouse architecture. The programme focuses on technologies under the Apache Software Foundation umbrella, including Apache Iceberg, Apache Hudi, Apache Parquet, Apache Gravitino and Apache Polaris, with opportunities to exchange practical lessons and build connections across their communities. What to expect The day combines keynotes with parallel breakout sessions spanning architecture, observability, transactions, streaming, security analytics and data-transfer protocols. Topics announced in the schedule include: - The rise of the Apache Lakehouse: ASF member JB Onofré explores how open table formats, REST-based catalogues and streaming technologies can support a modular, vendor-neutral data estate. The keynote covers ACID transactions, schema evolution, metadata silos and the separation of table format, control plane and compute concerns. - Lakehouse observability: Datadog software engineer Nikita Matckevich shares monitoring practices from a managed multicloud and multi-engine Iceberg environment. Expect lessons on lineage, data quality, cost, performance, query patterns, access audits and orphan-file management. - Iceberg at enterprise scale: Akamai senior software engineer Endi Caushi explains how the company’s Egnatia platform supports batch analytics and near-real-time security event data while delivering seven-figure annual savings. The session includes patterns for upsert-heavy pipelines, threat detection and platform modernisation. - Multi-table transactions: Cloudera principal engineer Qiegang Long presents an engine-neutral proposal for warehouse-grade BEGIN/COMMIT semantics in the Iceberg REST Catalog, accompanied by a live Apache Polaris proof of concept. - Apache Arrow and client protocols: A breakout revisits the case for columnar query-result transfer and Apache Arrow’s role across IPC, Flight, Flight SQL, Arrow over HTTP and ADBC. Who should attend?… Register for this event

⌖ Glasgow · Glasgow University Union (GUU)

Explore AI’s hidden social, cultural and environmental impacts at this one-day symposium in Glasgow on 13 October 2026. Making the Invisible, Visible The Lovelace–Hodgkin Symposium 2026 asks what artificial intelligence reveals, what it conceals and who gets to shape its future. Taking place at Glasgow University Union on Ada Lovelace Day, the event will examine the assumptions, infrastructures and exclusions beneath AI, and connect technical systems to wider questions of fairness, representation and public participation. Rather than limiting the conversation to academics and technology specialists, the symposium welcomes anyone interested in technology, society, creativity, ethics or social justice. Its programme combines talks with participatory and creative formats, giving attendees multiple ways to investigate how AI affects people, communities and the stories told about them. What the day will explore Sessions and activities will consider: - The inner workings of large language models - Unintended consequences created by AI systems - Missing, invisible and misrepresented data - Surveillance, mapping and the relationship between technology and power - Environmental and cultural impacts of digital technologies - The voices and experiences included in, or excluded from, AI - Storytelling’s role in shaping understandings of history and technology - How the public can participate more meaningfully in emerging technologies The format extends beyond conventional presentations. Expect a creative, interactive mix of talks, workshops, games, artworks, film and group discussion. Throughout the day, participants will be encouraged to consider who benefits from AI, whose knowledge its systems reflect and how technology influences perceptions of ourselves, our communities and possible futures. Film screening and discussion The symposium will conclude with a screening of the LifeMosaic documentary Mapping & Monitoring in Indigenous Territories. A discussion with the film’s producer will follow, connecting the documentary to the day’s central themes of participation, knowledge, representation and power.… Register for this event

◎ Online

Hosted by Global Institute for Science, Technology and Research

Explore new research in machine learning and applied AI at ICAMLAAI, taking place in Glasgow on 16–17 October 2026. The International Conference on Advances in Machine Learning and Applied Artificial Intelligence (ICAMLAAI) is a global forum for presenting original research, examining emerging trends and exchanging practical insights across disciplines. Organised by the Global Institute for Science, Technology and Research, the conference is designed to support research advancement, academic excellence and international collaboration. Who should attend? ICAMLAAI brings together researchers, engineers, academicians, scientists, healthcare professionals, industry experts and other professionals working across AI-related fields. It will be particularly relevant to people who want to: - Present or discover original machine learning and applied artificial intelligence research - Discuss innovative technologies and emerging developments - Connect academic research with practical, cross-sector perspectives - Meet experts and develop an international professional network - Find opportunities for interdisciplinary knowledge exchange and collaboration The published programme does not specify a required experience level. Its research-led format is best suited to academics, practitioners and professionals with an active interest in machine learning, AI applications or related disciplines. In-person and virtual formats Attendees can participate on location in Glasgow or access the conference virtually. The in-person agenda begins at 9:00am with registration and tea or coffee, followed by an inaugural speech and conference theme presentation. Poster and physical presentations run from 10:00am to 11:45am, with virtual presentations scheduled before lunch. An award function and closing ceremony complete the listed on-location programme. In-person participation includes direct networking, physical materials, live Q&A and complimentary refreshments. The virtual option offers global access through an interactive platform, alongside recorded sessions, digital resources and chat features. Its schedule includes virtual check-in and orientation, a break, and closing guidance covering digital certificates. Important date for contributors… Register for this event

⌖ Glasgow · The Admiral Woods

Hosted by Glasgow Skeptics

A critical talk in Glasgow on 20 October 2026 examining why mainstream economics struggles to explain AI’s effects on productivity, wages and jobs. Economists frequently predict that artificial intelligence will raise productivity, improve employment and make society richer, but those promises are not yet clearly reflected in productivity data, wages or general wellbeing. At this free evening talk from Glasgow Skeptics, Dr Elena Papagiannaki will examine the gap between confident economic forecasts and the more complicated reality of AI adoption. What the talk will explore Rather than accepting claims of an inevitable “AI revolution”, the session will ask whether mainstream economics has the right concepts and methods to understand what is happening. Topics and questions include: - Why trillion-dollar investment in AI is not clearly appearing in productivity figures - Whether current job losses are genuinely caused by AI, or simply being “AI-washed” - How technology changes work, wages, value and the distribution of economic gains - The blind spots behind polished graphs and confident predictions about automation - Whether we need new ways to explain progress, labour and intelligence itself The talk should appeal to people interested in AI and society, economics, work, critical thinking and political economy. Its focus is not on building AI systems; instead, it offers a sceptical examination of the narratives used to describe their economic and social impact. About the speaker Dr Elena Papagiannaki is a Lecturer in Economics at Edinburgh Napier University and a Research Fellow at the Institute for the Future of Work in London. Her research investigates class, AI and labour through a political economy lens, with particular attention to how technology reshapes work and value. She also brings this research to public audiences through her Edinburgh Fringe show. Format and practical details This is an in-person talk taking place from 7:30pm to 9:00pm BST on Tuesday 20 October 2026 at The Admiral Woods, 29 Waterloo Street, Glasgow. Attendance is free and no ticket is required, but entry is first come, first served. The organisers recommend arriving early if the function room looks busy.… Register for this event

⌖ Glasgow · Radisson Blu

A free, in-person digital health and social care learning event in Glasgow on 21 October 2026, focused on turning shared ambitions into practical action. From collective ambition to delivery DiGiTal Get Together returns with a clear theme: “Collective Ambition into Action.” Taking place at the Radisson Blu in Glasgow, the event will explore how people and organisations can move beyond discussion and work together to deliver meaningful digital change across health and social care. Running from 9:30am to 3:00pm, this free event offers a full day of talks addressing three connected priorities: - Collaboration, bringing people and organisations together around shared digital ambitions - Inclusion, ensuring digital transformation works for the people and communities it is intended to support - Sustainability, considering how innovation can create change that lasts The wider conversation will cover AI, digital transformation and innovation in health and social care, with an emphasis on translating ideas into action rather than treating technology as an end in itself. Who should attend? This learning event will be relevant to people interested in the development and delivery of digital health and social care, including those working on transformation, innovation, service improvement, inclusion or collaborative programmes. It may also appeal to people who want to understand how AI and other emerging digital approaches fit within the practical realities of health and care services. The event page does not specify a required level of technical experience. Its talk-led format and focus on broad organisational themes make it accessible to attendees approaching digital change from strategic, operational, policy, service or community perspectives, not only technical roles. Event format and practical details Expect a free, face-to-face learning event featuring talks throughout the day. The in-person setting provides an opportunity to hear different perspectives on shared challenges while connecting the themes of collaboration, inclusion and sustainability.… Register for this event

⌖ Glasgow · Learning & Teaching Building (floor 3, room 324)

Hosted by NeuraSearch Laboratory

A two-hour interactive workshop in Glasgow for adults navigating how children use generative AI tools such as ChatGPT. Taking place on Tuesday 27 October 2026, from 6pm to 8pm, Growing up with AI creates space for parents, guardians and educators to examine what AI could mean for children’s learning, relationships and development. Generative AI is already becoming part of everyday life for many children and young people. They may turn to it for homework support, creative projects or answers to everyday questions, but its growing presence also raises important questions. Does AI strengthen children’s thinking, or can it begin to do too much of the work for them? How might regular interaction with AI affect emotional habits and friendships? Where do its benefits end and its risks begin? What the workshop will explore Rather than presenting a one-way lecture, this in-person, interactive session invites attendees to discuss these questions together, compare experiences and contribute their own perspectives. The conversation will cover: - What parents and teachers notice about children’s emotional habits when AI becomes part of daily life - How children’s friendships may be affected by their use of AI tools - Whether AI supports independent thinking or starts replacing parts of the learning process - The wider benefits, risks and unresolved questions surrounding AI in children’s lives There will be opportunities to ask questions and hear from other parents, guardians and education professionals. Experiences shared during the workshop will also contribute to research intended to improve understanding of children’s AI use, making this more than an introductory discussion: it is an opportunity to help shape the emerging evidence around a fast-changing issue. Who should attend? The workshop is open to parents, guardians and educators, whether they feel curious about AI, concerned by it or somewhere in between. No previous knowledge of AI or technical experience is required, so the session is suitable for complete beginners as well as adults who have already encountered these tools at home or in educational settings.… Register for this event

ChatGPT