Panel Session: Harnessing AI to reduce inequality and boost social mobility for future generations.

Across the UK, many young people growing up in poverty are denied the training, knowledge and networks needed to thrive in the workplace. Charities like the EY Foundation provide employability skills training to support young people to succeed, but the world of work they are about to enter is changing at an unprecedented pace. The next generation is confronted by a force that is already redefining their future: Artificial Intelligence (AI). In this panel session, participants will hear more about the opportunities and threats AI poses for young people from low-income backgrounds, the great work already being done to maximize AI’s potential benefits, the gaps yet to be filled, and most importantly, how to fill them.

John Walker (Panel Co-Chair) - Current Student

John is an alumna of EY Foundation programmes, current university student and EY Foundation Youth Advisory Board Member. He's passionate about technology and improving social mobility in the UK.

Nimmi Patel - Head of Skills, Talent and Diversity at techUK

Nimmi Patel is the Head of Skills, Talent and Diversity at techUK. She works on all things skills, education, and future of work policy, focusing on upskilling and retraining. 

Nimmi is also an Advisory Board member of Digital Futures at Work Research Centre (digit). The Centre research aims to increase understanding of how digital technologies are changing work and the implications for employers, workers, job seekers and governments.

Prior to joining the techUK team, she worked for the UK Labour Party and New Zealand Labour Party, and holds an MA in Strategic Communications at King’s College London and BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the University of Manchester. She is currently taking part in the 2024-25 University of Bath Institute for Policy Research Policy Fellowship 

Adrian Joseph - Board Member, Public Speaker and AI Advisor

Adrian recently served as the Chief Data and AI Officer at BT Group until August 2023, spearheading a team of 1,600 professionals in data, cloud and AI to transform the Group's digital capability, rapidly and safely accelerating value delivery.

Prior to BT he was a senior Partner at Ernst & Young and Head of the Data, Cloud and AI practice for Financial Services UK. He joined EY with over ten year’s cloud, digital, platform and data science experience gained in senior leadership roles at Google. 

In his capacity as a Non-Executive Director he has served on the UK government's Home Office Board, the Cabinet Office People Board, and on the Board of Business in the Community, where he chaired the Race Equality Board for five years. He also offered his insights as an Expert Member of the UK AI Council, advising on the national AI strategy until June 2023.

Currently, Adrian is a Non-Executive Director at Direct Line Insurance Group plc, Allwyn Entertainment (UK National Lottery operator) and at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. 

His contributions to promoting equality and diversity in business were recognised with an OBE in the 2019 New Year’s Honours List. He holds a degree in econometrics, an MBA with distinction and an honorary doctorate in business management.