AI Signals #35: Evals, Guardrails and Human Behaviour

⌖ London · London, United Kingdom

Hosted by Granola

Explore how thoughtful product design meets AI in this live London conversation with Corin Mellor, Creative Director of David Mellor Design, on 8 October 2026. Hosted by Granola in London, Made in the UK: Corin Mellor brings together design, craftsmanship and artificial intelligence. Mellor will speak with Granola’s Sam Garson about designing things people genuinely want to use, and what happens when established design principles encounter the rapidly developing world of AI. About the conversation Corin Mellor is the son of renowned designer-silversmith David Mellor CBE and cultural historian Fiona MacCarthy OBE. After training as a product designer at Kingston University, he developed a career combining craftsmanship with architectural finesse. He joined his father’s company, David Mellor Design, as a designer-craftsman before becoming Creative Director in 2006 and taking the helm of the family business. The company is also responsible for the distinctive Granola spoon, giving this discussion a direct connection between its host and guest. Expect an informed conversation about creating useful, desirable physical objects and the implications of bringing AI into the design process. Topics at the heart of the evening include: - How to design products that people actually want to use - The relationship between craftsmanship, function and creative direction - Leading and expanding a family design business - What the meeting point between design and AI could mean for creators This is a live talk and conversation, rather than a hands-on workshop. It is particularly relevant to product designers, creative directors, craftspeople, founders and anyone interested in AI’s relationship with design and culture. No specific technical experience is listed as a requirement. Timings and practical details Doors open at 6:00pm on Thursday 8 October 2026, with the talk beginning at 6:30pm. Attendees should arrive by 6:30pm because the doors will close once the conversation starts. The event runs until 8:30pm, and drinks and snacks will be provided. View the event and registration details

Granola

⌖ London · Jamaica Blue

Hosted by Camedventure.

Explore practical AI for small businesses over coffee on 11 October 2026 at Jamaica Blue, Ealing Broadway, with discussion, networking and peer learning. A conversational AI meetup in West London This 90-minute, in-person meetup offers a friendly setting in London for exchanging honest experiences of AI: where it is genuinely useful, what challenges people are encountering, and how the technology could affect work, business and everyday life. Rather than a formal workshop or a presentation, the event centres on an interactive round-table conversation. Everyone can ask questions, contribute ideas and learn from the experiences of other attendees. The group will be facilitated by Dr Muntazir Abidi, an AI engineer and entrepreneur who has built AI products and worked with startups and global organisations. He holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge, where he was part of Stephen Hawking’s research group. AI for founders and small businesses The discussion has a particular focus on small business owners and founders. It will consider how smaller organisations are already using AI, which applications are producing useful results, and where important gaps or obstacles remain. You do not need to arrive with technical knowledge or an established AI strategy, the meetup is equally suitable for people actively experimenting with AI and those still exploring where it might help. The event is also open to: - Entrepreneurs and professionals - Students and AI practitioners - Founders looking to compare practical use cases - Anyone curious about AI’s role in work and daily life Format and agenda The relaxed format combines guided conversation with informal networking: - 2:30–2:40pm: Coffee and introductions - 2:40–3:50pm: Facilitated round-table AI discussion - 3:50–4:00pm: Networking Expect practical conversation rather than lectures, with opportunities to share your own questions, challenges and experiences while meeting people from different backgrounds. Places are intentionally limited to keep the discussion engaging and give attendees room to contribute. View the event and registration details

⌖ London · South Place Hotel

Hosted by Corinium Intelligence

A private London dinner for senior data, AI, technology and security leaders exploring secure runtime data controls for enterprise AI agents on 13 October 2026. Hosted by Skyflow and organised by Corinium Intelligence, The Secure AI Paradigm brings a select group of 10–15 executives to South Place Hotel in London. The focus is a critical production challenge: giving autonomous AI systems the information they need while retaining control over how sensitive data is accessed, processed and revealed. What the roundtable will explore As AI agents begin retrieving information, calling tools and taking action independently, static permissions and conventional security boundaries may no longer provide sufficient protection. This closed-door conversation will examine practical ways to embed privacy, governance and least-privilege access directly into enterprise AI architecture. Discussion points include: - Deciding which sensitive data an AI agent genuinely needs - Applying dynamic, policy-driven controls based on identity, agent, task and context - Protecting data as it moves through RAG systems, models, APIs and tools - Managing agent-to-tool and agent-to-agent connections - Protecting PII without stripping away the context AI needs to perform effectively - Translating security, privacy and regulatory requirements into enforceable technical controls - Identifying where existing access controls fall short for autonomous workflows The group will also consider what must change when an agent can independently retrieve information and act, and what safeguards would give enterprises confidence to scale agents across sensitive workflows. Roundtable hosts The discussion will be hosted by Javier Morao, EMEA Head of Data & AI at Citi, who leads data commercialisation across more than 50 countries and has over 15 years of experience in data, analytics and transformation within global financial services. He is joined by Roshmik Saha, Co-founder and CTO of Skyflow, a technologist with more than 15 years of experience building secure, scalable platforms. His background spans Microsoft and leadership of Lyft’s self-driving car infrastructure. View the event and registration details

⌖ London · Excel London

Hosted by DTX Events

DTX London brings together 10,000+ technology leaders, innovators and decision-makers at Excel London for two days of practical insights into digital and business transformation. Taking place 14-15 October 2026, this flagship expo connects the people, platforms and processes that drive organisation-wide change across AI, cyber security, data analytics, cloud infrastructure, and automation. What to Expect DTX London is designed for teams at every stage of their transformation journey — whether you're optimising your IT stack, strengthening cyber and data strategies, or deploying AI solutions at scale. The event features multiple content stages addressing critical themes including Responsible AI, Holistic Security Foundations, Human-First Resilience, Agile IT, and Purpose-Led Tech Rollouts. Attendees from organisations including Network Rail, NHS, BBC, Booking.com, HSBC, Barclays, and John Lewis come to discover vendor-neutral insights, explore emerging solutions, and connect with peers facing similar challenges. The expo floor showcases hundreds of exhibitors across 12 technology areas, from IT infrastructure and cloud computing to unified communications and customer experience platforms. Content and Speakers The event programme is shaped by a dedicated Advisory Board of senior leaders in technology, operations, data, and cybersecurity. Expect keynote presentations, panel discussions, and case study sessions covering People-Powered Transformation, The Data Advantage, Leading Through Change, Next Generation Talent, Smarter Workspaces, and Elevated Customer Journeys. Co-located with Unified Communication EXPO, DTX London creates a comprehensive environment for exploring the intersection of technology, people, and operations. The agenda balances strategic vision with tactical implementation, ensuring you leave with actionable insights regardless of your role — CIO, CTO, CISO, Head of Data, DevOps Lead, or Transformation Manager. Technology Areas Covered The expo spans IT Infrastructure, Storage & Networks | IT Service Management | Cloud Computing | Cyber Security | Unified Communications & Collaboration | Video and Audio Visual | Data Management & Analytics | AI | Software Development & Engineering | Customer Contact & Experience. Register your interest for DTX London 2026

Sponsors: Network Rail · Comcast Sky Business +20

◎ Online

Hosted by London Agentics Foundation Meetups

Explore agentic engineering with Reuven Cohen (rUv) in London on 15 October 2026, with live collaboration and online streaming. This special Agentics Foundation London Chapter meetup examines a new generation of systems that can remember, coordinate, learn, perceive and act across software, enterprise infrastructure and the physical world. Running from 6:00pm to 9:00pm BST, the hybrid event offers an opportunity to learn directly from a pioneer in agentic AI while connecting with builders working on autonomous, proactive systems. The power of the Agentics ecosystem Reuven Cohen (rUv), creator of the Agentics Foundation and CAIO of Cognitum One, will introduce the ideas, infrastructure and community behind the ecosystem. According to the organisers, its open-source software has reached more than 51 million total downloads, with over 74 million npm package downloads during the past 12 months. Tools including the ruFlo agent harness and RuView spatial intelligence have accumulated more than 180,000 GitHub stars, while the frameworks support over 362,000 monthly active installations. The session will draw on Cohen’s experience across cloud computing, enterprise AI and edge-native systems. His work includes: - Building Cognitum One, a sovereign, edge-native operating platform designed to orchestrate Physical AI without cloud dependency - Founding cloud computing pioneer Enomaly, which went on to a $1.2B+ exit - Serving as Chief Cloud Advocate at Citrix - Architecting EY.ai, an enterprise AI platform used by more than 400,000 people - Coining the title “Agentic Engineer” for developers building proactive, autonomous systems Build, share and collaborate This is more than a conventional talk. The series creates a constructive setting for members to showcase projects, pair on demos, prototypes or code snippets, and collaborate live with other builders. It also brings the Foundation’s wider online community together with its London chapter, helping attendees exchange practical knowledge and co-create new ideas. View the event and registration details

⌖ London · Southbank Tower

AI Club Meetup 2 brings Latvian professionals together in London on 15 October 2026 to exchange practical AI ideas, lessons and project inspiration. Taking place at Southbank Tower in London, this informal, in-person meetup focuses on how professionals are applying AI and machine intelligence in their day-to-day work. Rather than concentrating on abstract trends, the evening is designed around real experiences, useful tips and candid discussion of what has, and has not, worked. Speakers and discussion The meetup will feature perspectives from two professionals working across insurance, operations, marketing and technology: - Austris Bahanovskis, Regional Operations Manager at AIG, one of the world’s leading property and casualty insurers - Oskars Killo, Founding Partner at marketing and technology studio Kindred After the speaker sessions, the floor will open to attendees. Participants are encouraged to share their own AI journeys, including key wins, practical lessons and ideas they would like to develop further. This community-led format makes the event particularly relevant for Latvian professionals who want to learn from peers, compare approaches and find inspiration for new AI projects. No specific technical experience level is stated, and the emphasis is on accessible professional exchange rather than a formal coding workshop. The event should suit people already experimenting with AI in their work as well as those looking for practical examples before starting a project of their own. Format and practical details The event runs from 7:00pm to 9:30pm on Thursday 15 October 2026 at Southbank Tower, 55 Upper Ground, London SE1 9EY. It will be conducted in Latvian, with a smart-casual dress code. Refreshments and snacks will be provided, and the programme combines speaker insights, open discussion and networking with fellow professionals. Refunds are available up to one day before the event. View the event and registration details