This Is Not Inevitable: Standing up to AI and Big Tech

Name: This Is Not Inevitable: Standing up to AI and Big Tech
Start: 2026-06-27T10:30:00+01:00
End: 2026-06-27T16:30:00+01:00
Location: Mechanics Institute

Schedule

Sat Jun 27 2026 at 10:30 am to 04:30 pm

UTC+01:00

Location

Mechanics Institute | Manchester, EN

Find out about how AI and data centres are affecting our lives, our jobs and our planet, and how people are organising to resist. This conference is co-hosted by the Greater Manchester Climate Justice Coalition and Campaign against Climate Change, with speaker from trade unions and campaigns.
Tickets just £5 - book yours now: https://actionnetwork.org/ticketed_events/ai-conference/
There will be three sessions for all attendees, each with a speaker panel followed by group discussion, linking different issues.
Session 1: The uses of AI in war and surveillance
Speakers: Anne Alexander, a researcher and journalist covering the social, ecological and political impacts of AI systems, currently working on a forthcoming book on the AI Arms Race; Rory Gibson, No Palantir In Our NHS
Session 2: The climate and environmental impacts of data centres
Speakers: Mary Stevens, Friends of the Earth; Owen Espley, Global Action Plan
Session 3: How AI is affecting our jobs and wider society, and the action that trade unions are taking
Speakers: Simeon Gill, President of University of Manchester UCU; Laurence Bouvard, Equity, Screen and New Media Committee member; Mansoor Ahmed, Unite EC, Passenger Transport, United Tech and Allied Workers speaker (invited)
Venue: Mechanics Institute, Manchester. 10.30-16.30