The Observer on AI

The Observer on AI

Thursday 5th February 2026

6-7pm

RSA House and online via YouTube

In the past year, AI capabilities have rapidly advanced across fields ranging from coding to higher mathematics. Industry valuations and capital expenditure have soared to hundreds of billions of dollars, and nations are racing to build their own “sovereign” compute capacity. Sceptics warn of an AI bubble, but governments increasingly fear missing out on what could be the most fundamental general-purpose technology since electricity.

The Observer’s Global AI Index aims to make sense of this landscape in the 93 countries that invest in artificial intelligence. Now in its sixth year, it’s the leading ranking of countries in their investment, implementation and innovation in artificial intelligence.

Hear from The Observer’s data scientists as they discuss the latest rankings, trends and changes, before a conversation led by editor-in-chief, James Harding, about what this means.

Speakers:

• Patricia Clarke, Technology Reporter
• Serena Cesareo, Senior Researcher
• Hannah Schuller, Data Reporter and Researcher

Chair:

• James Harding, Editor in Chief, The Observer

Image credit: Kathryn Conrad / https://betterimagesofai.org