AI at the crossroads: Navigating a future under uncertainty 

Location: CGI Leeds office, 1 Whitehall Quay, Leeds LS1 4HR

Date and time: 23 September 2026, 17:30 – 21:00

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AI at the crossroads: Navigating a future under uncertainty 

Location: CGI Leeds office, 1 Whitehall Quay, Leeds LS1 4HR

Date and time: 23 September 2026, 17:30 – 21:00

Leeds_Digital_Festival_Logo_LDF_Landscape (1)

 

Explore the future operating environment, challenge assumptions and make better decisions under uncertainty. 

AI is developing at extraordinary speed, reshaping the technological, geopolitical and economic environment in which organisations operate. The challenge is not predicting exactly what happens next, but understanding what different futures could mean for the decisions being made today.

This interactive session draws on established futures thinking methodology to place participants inside a provocative future AI scenario in which advanced AI capability is concentrated between two dominant global power centres.

Together, we’ll explore what the changing environment could mean for organisations and public services and translate big-picture change into practical strategic implications.

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What to expect

The session offers a taster of the deeper futures and scenario work CGI is applying with clients and internally. It is designed to give participants an experience of how structured strategic conversations can support collective clarity and decision making under uncertainty.

Experienced AI and innovation leaders will set the scene with thought-provoking lightning talks on the AI landscape. You’ll then immerse in a futures scenario workshop leveraging the futures thinking framework. Finally, we’ll unpack what we’ve experienced with a panel of regional technology leaders with participants from Channel 4 and Skipton Group confirmed.

  • Explore how technological shifts could reshape the operating environment
  • Stress-test assumptions and consider the implications for your organisation or sector
  • Identify potential risks, opportunities, dependencies and strategic choices
  • Experience how structured scenario exploration can support better strategic conversations and decisions.

Agenda

17:30 Arrival, networking and refreshments

18:00 AI today: What is changing?
Short perspectives on the current AI landscape and the uncertainties that matter. 

18:15 Setting the scene: A future AI operating environment 
Introduction to the futures thinking scenario and its geopolitical, technological and economic context. 

18:30 Interactive futures thinking scenario  workshop
Explore what the scenario could mean for organisations, sectors and strategic choices.  Featuring CGI, Channel 4 and Skipton Group.

19:35 Break

19:50 Panel discussion: From scenario to strategy
Panel discussion on the implications raised and what organisations should be thinking about now.

20:30 Networking, refreshments and canapes

21:00 Event close

Who should attend

For leaders and practitioners involved in strategy, technology, transformation, innovation, policy and organisational change who want to move beyond short-term AI predictions and explore what a changing operating environment could mean for the choices they make today.

All-star speakers

Facilitators

Terry Dixon – Director Consulting Services, CGI UK

Tom Runge – Director of Business Consulting - Data and Innovation, CGI UK

Speakers and panellists

Liam Cadd – Director of Business Transformation, Channel 4

Jenny Wood – Group CIO, Skipton Group

Dicky Moore – AI Enablement Lead, CGI UK

Shifting mindsets from coding to product, leadership and outcomes

AI is changing the way organisations approach transformation, productivity, and decision-making. In this video, John Davis, Vice President Consulting Expert at CGI UK, highlights the importance of combining technology with human expertise to deliver meaningful business outcomes.

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Discover all CGI events at Leeds Digital Festival 2026

As Headline Sponsor of Leeds Digital Festival 2026, CGI is excited to launch a series of events throughout the programme. We’re shining a light on the projects, partnerships and people trailblazing in Leeds and helping to grow the region.

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As one of the world’s largest IT and business consulting services firms, CGI has a strong and growing presence across Yorkshire, with offices in Leeds, Sheffield and York. We were proud to have been recognised as a 2026 Top Company to work for in Leeds by LinkedIn, highlighting our commitment to the region.

CGI is delighted to be Headline Sponsor of Leeds Digital Festival 2026.