Let’s Talk AI debuts at Sheffield’s Festival of the Mind
Hands-on robotics, creative workshops, and vital conversations came together at Channing Hall for Sheffield's Understanding AI showcase. Catch highlights of the day and discover how a new documentary is bringing public AI literacy to center stage.
On Saturday, 7 November 2026, Channing Hall on Surrey Street served as the backdrop for Understanding AI, a dedicated public showcase at Sheffield’s Festival of the Mind.
Organised by the Centre for Machine Intelligence, the free day-long event offered attendees an engaging mix of hands-on exhibits, creative workshops, and vital conversations exploring how artificial intelligence shapes daily life and society.
Throughout the morning and early afternoon, visitors were invited to drop in and experience interactive installations highlighting cutting-edge AI research. Guests took control of a robotic arm to move simulated materials, watched prototype Pipebots navigate virtual systems, met the social robot Furhat, and engaged with thought-provoking displays on the responsible use of AI in cultural heritage. Creative hands-on attractions included zine-making workshops led by local artists where participants explored different themes on the topic of Artificial Intelligence.
The showcase built up to the premiere of Let’s Talk AI, a new documentary short directed by social justice filmmaker Sean Lovell and co-written with Dr. Susan Oman, AI & In/Equality Lead for CMI. The film chronicles the journey of a grassroots campaign dedicated to making complex technology accessible to everyday citizens.
Beginning with a chance encounter in a tea shop between Dr. Oman and retired librarian Margaret Colling, the campaign teamed up with illustrator Kitty McEwan to transform complex technical topics into accessible comic-style visual stories. Let’s Talk AI follows this initiative as it expands from local community workshops in Sheffield, Plymouth, and Morecambe Bay all the way to global policy stages, including the United Nations in Geneva and the International AI Impact Summit in Delhi.
Following the screening, an interactive Q&A session with the project's creators gave audiences the opportunity to discuss why cross-generational AI literacy is essential for healthy democratic decision-making.
For those who missed the screening, the 17min documentary will is now available to stream on the Sheffield Player and on the Let's Talk AI website.