8 April 2025 (18:00-19:00 UK time)
VIRTUAL CONVERSATION
Digital World towards 2040 – Annual update
Speakers: Ajit Jaokar, Oxford University & Simon Stafell, Microsoft
Moderator: Frank Nigriello
Introduction
One year after the publication of Digital World Towards 2040 in April 2024 and its UK launch at our IN2030 event, this session will focus on the short-term consequences of the AI revolution, given the extremely rapid and accelerating pace of change. While 2040 remains a critical milestone, the sheer pace of technological change makes long-term forecasting increasingly difficult. The discussion will explore what we can expect with greater certainty in the near term, particularly the impact of AI and AGI on economies, governance, and society.
The speed of technological breakthroughs is already reshaping industries, with significant implications for businesses, workers, and policymakers. The rise of AI agents will transform how decisions are made, increasing automation across sectors, and making continuous skills adaptation an urgent necessity. At the same time, regulatory and policy challenges are becoming more pronounced. Recent summits have highlighted concerns that international cooperation designed to ensure responsible AI development might be weakening. Policymakers must urgently consider how to shape regulatory responses that strike the right balance between fostering innovation and ensuring security.
Nevertheless, one thing is clear: the introduction of AGI is likely to be transformative, and come sooner than expected. This session will provide a clear-sighted assessment of the near-term future, identifying the most pressing developments and helping to outline what immediate strategies policymakers and businesses might need to consider.
Click here to read full report from 2024 as pre-reading for the event.
Speakers' bios
Ajit Jaokar’s work spans research, entrepreneurship, and academia relating to Artificial Intelligence (AI) with Cyber-Physical systems, He is the course director of the course: Artificial Intelligence: Cloud and Edge Implementations at the University of Oxford. He is a visiting fellow in Engineering Sciences at the University of Oxford. He is also working on a book to teach AI using mathematical foundations at the high school level.
Dr Simon Staffell is Director of Government Affairs at Microsoft, where he addresses a range of public policy issues related to technology and innovation and has been closely involved in work on AI policy and governance issues with UK and other governments over the past two years. He is a visiting Research Fellow at Kings College London and the RUSI think tank. Simon previously served in the UK government, holding senior appointments in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Home Office and Cabinet Office, and postings in Cairo and Washington DC. He was awarded his PhD in politics from Sheffield University in 2010 and was previously an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University in Washington DC.
Frank Nigriello is a writer, editor, and management consultant with a strong background in working with both ‘blue chip’ companies and SMEs. He was until recently Director of Corporate Affairs for Unipart, the global manufacturing, logistics and consultancy group headquartered in Oxford, Chairman of Oxfordshire Business First and chair of the B4 business network. In 2014, he was named as HRH The Prince of Wales’s Responsible Business Ambassador for the South East. He is a founder member of IN2030. Frank began his career as a journalist, first in New York then in the UK. He joined IBM UK and later joined Barclays PLC as its first Head of Organisational Communications. Frank has been chairman of Oxfordshire’s Economic Partnership and chaired the county’s Employment and Skills Board. He was Chair of the South East Advisory Board of Business in the Community and a member of the Oxford Strategic Partnership board. He is currently leading an innovation project with SMEs and has edited a book about Oxfordshire entrepreneurs.