S7 Episode 6: From Particle Physics to Parliament: Making Governments More Human Through Artificial Intelligence with Dr Laura Gilbert CBE

How does a particle physicist end up shaping the UK Government’s approach to artificial intelligence? In this thought‑provoking episode, Andrew Grill sits down with Dr Laura Gilbert CBE, former Director of Data Science at 10 Downing Street and now the Senior Director of AI at the Tony Blair Institute. Laura’s unique career path, from academic research in physics to the heart of policymaking, gives her a rare perspective on how governments can use emerging technologies not just efficiently, but humanely.  She shares candid insights into how policy teams think about digital transformation, why the public sector faces very different challenges to private industry, and how to avoid technology that dehumanises decision‑making. Drawing on examples from her work in Whitehall, Laura discusses the realities of forecasting in AI, the danger of “buzzword chasing”, and why the next breakthrough in Artificial General Intelligence might well come from an unexpected player, possibly from within government itself. This is a conversation for anyone curious about the intersection of science, policy, ethics, and technology, and how they can combine to make government more responsive, transparent, and human-centred. What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeHow Laura Gilbert moved from particle physics research into government AI leadershipThe strategic role of AI in shaping modern policy and public servicesWhy forecasting in AI is harder than it looks—and how this impacts decision‑makersThe balance between technical capability and human‑centred governanceWhy governments must look beyond the tech giants for innovative solutionsLessons from the Evidence House and AI for Public Good programmes Resources Tony Blair Global Institute Website UK Government AI Incubator Laura on LinkedIn Raindrop.io bookmarking app Thanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/order Your Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew Grill For more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew"s Social Channels Andrew on LinkedIn @AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on Instagram Keynote speeches here Order Digitally Curious