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AI is changing the way we learn, work and live. It is also changing the way we have viewed education, careers and success. Now the question is being asked, how do we prepare for a future we cannot yet predict? In this Between the Lines conversation, economist and author Daniel Susskind will reveal his guide for how the next generation can flourish in the age of AI. Drawing on his 15 years of research into technology and the future of work, Susskind offers a bold, practical and hopeful perspective on some of the biggest questions facing families today: what should we teach, what should we leave in the past, and how can we give the next generation the confidence to navigate a rapidly changing world? Rather than keeping young people away from the technology changing the world around them, in his latest book Susskind asks how we can help young people master new tools while holding on to the foundations that matter most – literacy, numeracy and critical thinking. Susskind will join us for an evening of discussion with Katie Prescott, technology business editor at The Times, about the ideas behind his new book, What Should My Children Do?, and will offer an optimistic vision of how families, caregivers, and society can turn the disruption of AI into an opportunity. Speaker: Daniel Susskind, Economist and Author Chair: Katie Prescott, Technology Business Editor at The Times   Donate to the RSA: https://thersa.co/3ZyPOEa Become an RSA Events sponsor: https://utm.guru/ueemb Follow RSA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thersaorg/ Like RSA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theRSAorg/ Listen to RSA Events podcasts: https://bit.ly/35EyQYU Join our Fellowship: https://www.thersa.org/fellowship/join

Ever since Margaret Thatcher’s declaration of TINA (There Is No Alternative) in 1980, virtually all policy proposals to fix society’s grave problems work within the dominant framework of growth-based consumer capitalism. What if this framework is the problem? What if there actually is an alternative? To reimagine and reframe the conversation, join us for an evening with George Monbiot and Jeremy Lent who will discuss what the world might look like if it were organised, not for extraction, exploitation and elite wealth accumulation, but to instead set the conditions for all beings to thrive on a regenerated Earth. Covering themes from Lent’s new book, Ecocivilization: Making a World that Works for All, they will explore the transformative ideas already put into practice around the world—spanning the globe from Mondragón, Spain, to Jackson, Mississippi and Kerala, India—and discuss how these examples might weave together into a new societal fabric. Speaker: Jeremy Lent, author and speaker Chair: George Monbiot, journalist and author Donate to the RSA: https://thersa.co/3ZyPOEa Become an RSA Events sponsor: https://utm.guru/ueemb Follow RSA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thersaorg/ Like RSA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theRSAorg/ Listen to RSA Events podcasts: https://bit.ly/35EyQYU Join our Fellowship: https://www.thersa.org/fellowship/join

Bestselling author Lee Child joins award-winning writer Dreda Say Mitchell MBE for a live conversation at The Royal Society of Arts on the 8th of June. Together, they will explore the power of reading to shape and enrich lives and unlock opportunity for all. They will discuss what authors, institutions, and readers need to do to ensure reading remains central to culture, creativity, and human connection. From Child’s global success with the Jack Reacher series to Mitchell’s work championing literacy and prison reading initiatives, this event examines how books can transform individuals and communities. The discussion will be opened by Karen Napier, Reading Agency CEO, and spotlight the role of accessible publishing, including Quick Reads, in tackling barriers to reading in an age of declining attention and growing inequality. Speaker: Lee Child, Author Chair: Dreda Say Mitchell MBE, Author Donate to the RSA: https://thersa.co/3ZyPOEa Become an RSA Events sponsor: https://utm.guru/ueemb Follow RSA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thersaorg/ Like RSA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theRSAorg/ Listen to RSA Events podcasts: https://bit.ly/35EyQYU Join our Fellowship: https://www.thersa.org/fellowship/join

At a time when democracies seem paralyzed by fear and populations are turning inward, award-winning journalist John Kampfner has travelled to ten countries confronting our shared challenges with bravery and imagination.  From Japan’s inter-generational care system to Moroccan solar panels in the Sahara creating clean energy, John Kampfner’s new book Braver New World explores how countries across the globe are solving the most pressing problems.  To discuss the finding in his book, John will join us at the Royal Society of Arts for a conversation with The Observer Editor-in-Chief, James Harding, and former UK Foreign Secretary, David Miliband.  Join us for an evening of ideas and discussion on how we can learn from others to build a better society.   Speakers: John Kampfner, Journalist David Miliband, Former UK Foreign Secretary Chair: James Harding, The Observer Editor-in-Chief Donate to the RSA: https://thersa.co/3ZyPOEa Become an RSA Events sponsor: https://utm.guru/ueemb Follow RSA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thersaorg/ Like RSA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theRSAorg/ Listen to RSA Events podcasts: https://bit.ly/35EyQYU Join our Fellowship: https://www.thersa.org/fellowship/join

We like to think the future is open. That our lives are shaped by choices, chance, and a bit of luck. But increasingly, the future is being predicted, and those predictions are starting to decide things in advance. Whether we get a job, a loan, medical treatment, or even how we’re policed, many of life’s possibilities are now filtered through forecasts about who we are and what we might do next. In this provocative conversation, Oxford philosopher Carissa Véliz argues that prediction has always been less about seeing the future than about controlling it. From ancient oracles to modern data systems, prophecies don’t just describe what will happen – they shape behaviour, narrow our options, and quietly distribute power. Joining her is Roger McNamee, tech investor and NYT bestselling author of Zucked, who has spent years exposing how digital platforms turn prediction into influence. Together, they explore a deeper, more uncomfortable question: What happens when the future arrives pre-decided? Speaker: Carissa Veliz, associate professor at the Oxford Faculty of Philosophy and the Institute for Ethics in AI Chair: Roger McNamee, tech investor and author Donate to the RSA: https://thersa.co/3ZyPOEa Become an RSA Events sponsor: https://utm.guru/ueemb Follow RSA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thersaorg/ Like RSA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theRSAorg/ Listen to RSA Events podcasts: https://bit.ly/35EyQYU Join our Fellowship: https://www.thersa.org/fellowship/join

In the three short years since the release of ChatGPT, AI chatbots have reshaped how millions of people live. But while the technology’s economic and political consequences are widely debated, its social and psychological impacts are only just beginning to come into focus. Mental health is emerging as one of the most pressing – and troubling – frontiers. According to OpenAI’s own data from October 2025, as many as 560,000 users a week were showing “possible signs of mental health emergencies related to psychosis or mania” in their interactions with its systems. Clinicians, researchers, and journalists are now documenting cases in which vulnerable users form intense, and sometimes harmful, relationships with AI tools. Join The Observer’s Technology Reporter Patricia Clarke, neuropsychiatrist at King’s College London Dr Thomas Pollak and Head of Research & Policy at Internet Matters Katie Freeman-Tayler for a live conversation based on reporting produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center’s AI Accountability Network. The panel will be discussing how AI is rewiring our emotional lives and answering questions on what risk and responsibilities come with technologies that can mimic empathy? What obligations do tech firms, regulators and governments face? And what lessons can be drawn from the slow reckoning with social media’s toll on mental health – especially among children and young people? Speakers: Patricia Clarke, Technology Reporter at The Observer Dr Thomas Pollak, Neuropsychiatrist at King’s College London Katie Freeman-Tayler, Head of Research and Policy at Internet Matters Chair: James Harding, Editor-in-Chief of The Observer In collaboration with:  The Observer  The Pulitzer Center’s AI Accountability Network.   Donate to the RSA: https://thersa.co/3ZyPOEa Become an RSA Events sponsor: https://utm.guru/ueemb Follow RSA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thersaorg/ Like RSA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theRSAorg/ Listen to RSA Events podcasts: https://bit.ly/35EyQYU Join our Fellowship: https://www.thersa.org/fellowship/join

The Creative Industries are critical to the UK government’s growth plans. To realise the potential, action is needed across education, skills and the creative workforce. This event sees the unveiling of findings from a major new study looking at skills provision across all sectors of the creative industries from museums and music, to publishing and performing arts. Representatives from across the creative industries will discuss the findings and analyse what they mean for the future of creative education, skills and workforce planning. Download the reports: https://pec.ac.uk/research_report_entr/creative-industries-skills-audits/ This event is presented by the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (funded by the AHRC) in partnership with Work Advance, and the Royal Society of Arts. Speakers: Sir Peter Bazalgette, Co-Chair of the Creative Industries Council Heather Carey, Director of Work Advance Laura Mansfield, CEO of ScreenSkills Sinéad Rocks, Managing Director of Nations & Regions, Channel 4 Baroness Shriti Vadera, Co-Chair of the Creative Industries Council Rebecca Swarray, Principal for Creative Industries, Greater Manchester Combined Authority; freelance DJ, Curator and Producer Chair: Bernard Hay, Policy Director, Creative PEC Donate to the RSA: https://thersa.co/3ZyPOEa Become an RSA Events sponsor: https://utm.guru/ueemb Follow RSA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thersaorg/ Like RSA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theRSAorg/ Listen to RSA Events podcasts: https://bit.ly/35EyQYU Join our Fellowship: https://www.thersa.org/fellowship/join

Acclaimed royal biographer Robert Hardman takes to the stage at the Royal Society of Arts for an intellectually curious evening exploring the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II. Marking the centenary of her birth, Hardman draws on unrivalled access to offer a subtle, revealing portrait of the woman behind the crown, guided by insights from his new book, ELIZABETH II. The conversation will reflect on the Queen’s formative years, her leadership across the century she reigned, and her distinctive bond with the RSA – where she served as President, Patron, and a quiet but influential presence. Blending historical insight with behind-the-scenes revelation, this event provides a thoughtful reflection on monarchy, legacy, and national identity in a changing world. Speaker: Robert Hardman, journalist, author and documentary filmmaker Chair: Emily Andrews, journalist, broadcaster and royal commentator   Donate to the RSA: https://thersa.co/3ZyPOEa Become an RSA Events sponsor: https://utm.guru/ueemb Follow RSA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thersaorg/ Like RSA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theRSAorg/ Listen to RSA Events podcasts: https://bit.ly/35EyQYU Join our Fellowship: https://www.thersa.org/fellowship/join

Have you ever been curious about how the news agenda is set and why certain stories lead the front page? In a live recording of The Observer podcast, The News Meeting, you’ll get a chance to see and hear how conversations shape the news agenda. You’ll get an insight into how newsrooms around the world decide what leads the news, what follows and in what order during their daily editorial conferences. You will be able to have your say, share the stories you think our panel of editors should be talking about, and watch leading journalists battle it out to make their story the lead of the day. Joining the evening’s line-up are The Observer‘s Deputy Sports Editor, Jessica Hayden, Climate Editor, Jeevan Vasagar, and RSA Fellow and Chief Political Commentator, Andrew Rawnsley. Together, they’ll bring insight, expertise and lively debate to the stage as they argue to Deputy Editor-in-Chief Giles Whittell for what should top the news agenda. Be a part of The News Meeting live and help set the news agenda.   Donate to the RSA: https://thersa.co/3ZyPOEa Become an RSA Events sponsor: https://utm.guru/ueemb Follow RSA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thersaorg/ Like RSA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theRSAorg/ Listen to RSA Events podcasts: https://bit.ly/35EyQYU Join our Fellowship: https://www.thersa.org/fellowship/join

For 13 years, Sir Alex has led one of the world’s most iconic cultural institutions through a period of extraordinary change. Brexit. A global pandemic that closed theatres overnight. A cost-of-living crisis reshaping audiences and audience behaviour. Few organisations have faced these pressures more intensely, or more visibly, than the Royal Ballet and Opera. In this wide-ranging conversation, he reflects on what it takes to steward an institution of immense history and global reputation through one of the most defining and difficult decades in its history. This event will be followed by a drinks reception at 8pm. Speaker: Sir Alex Beard, Chief Executive, Royal Ballet and Opera Chair: Nancy Durrant, culture journalist and broadcaster In partnership with: Royal Ballet and Opera Donate to the RSA: https://thersa.co/3ZyPOEa Become an RSA Events sponsor: https://utm.guru/ueemb Follow RSA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thersaorg/ Like RSA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theRSAorg/ Listen to RSA Events podcasts: https://bit.ly/35EyQYU Join our Fellowship: https://www.thersa.org/fellowship/join

Marking 40 years since the Chornobyl disaster, the Ukrainian Institute London and the RSA invite you to reflect on its enduring legacy not only for Ukraine, but for Europe’s environmental security as a whole. This panel discussion will explore how the lessons of Chornobyl continue to shape environmental policy, cross-border cooperation, and societal resilience across the continent. Speakers: Serhii Plokhy, Historian, Author, and Professor of History at Harvard University Eglė Rindzevičiūtė, Professor of Criminology and Sociology at Kingston University London Jonathon Turnbull, Assistant Professor of Human Geography at Durham University Chair: Sasha Dovzhyk, Writer, Curator and Head of INDEX: Institute for Documentation and Exchange (Lviv, Ukraine). Editor of the London Ukrainian Review In partnership with: Ukrainian Institute London Donate to the RSA: https://thersa.co/3ZyPOEa Become an RSA Events sponsor: https://utm.guru/ueemb Follow RSA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thersaorg/ Like RSA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theRSAorg/ Listen to RSA Events podcasts: https://bit.ly/35EyQYU Join our Fellowship: https://www.thersa.org/fellowship/join

The impulse to be creative is ingrained in the human spirit.   We often turn to art not only to capture the beauty of the world, but also to manage its complexities. In an age where art is often devalued in favour of creating capital, will a new generation of artists be able to maintain their creative output? To answer this question, we will be joined by John Studzinski, philanthropist and Genesis Foundation founder, for a special conversation about his lifetime support of artists and cultural organisations and on what he has learned about the role creativity plays in mental health, recovery and collective life. The event forms part of the Genesis Foundation’s Genesis Conversationsseries and also marks the 25th anniversary of the Genesis Foundation. The evening will begin with a preview screening of a new opera Angels on the Underground, composed by Will Todd, and a libretto by Sally Gardner. After the screening there will be a panel conversation and a Q&A session. Speakers: John Studzinski CBE, Philanthropist and Genesis Foundation Founder Will Todd, Musician and Composer Rebecca Salter, President, Royal Academy of Arts Bobby Palmer, Author and Journalist Chair: Jennifer Johnston FRSA, Opera Singer and Cultural Strategy Consultant In partnership with: Genesis Foundation Please be aware that this event contains subject matter that listeners might find upsetting or triggering.  Listener discretion is advised. Donate to the RSA: https://thersa.co/3ZyPOEa Become an RSA Events sponsor: https://utm.guru/ueemb Follow RSA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thersaorg/ Like RSA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theRSAorg/ Listen to RSA Events podcasts: https://bit.ly/35EyQYU Join our Fellowship: https://www.thersa.org/fellowship/join

In her new book, Being Old, Prue offers a candid look at the highs, lows and unexpected freedoms of ageing. From changing priorities to rediscovered passions, from loss to laughter, she explores how life can open up in surprising ways as the years advance.  Expect a conversation full of warmth, humour and refreshing honesty as Prue shares the lessons she’s learned, the things she wishes she’d known sooner, and why she believes ageing should be celebrated, not feared.  Followed by audience questions and a chance to have your book signed by Prue.  Speaker: Prue Leith, cook, author and TV personality Chair: Felicity Cloake, food and travel writer   Donate to the RSA: https://thersa.co/3ZyPOEa Become an RSA Events sponsor: https://utm.guru/ueemb Follow RSA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thersaorg/ Like RSA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theRSAorg/ Listen to RSA Events podcasts: https://bit.ly/35EyQYU Join our Fellowship: https://www.thersa.org/fellowship/join

Will you make a stand with us this International Women’s Day? On 4 March, we’ll come together with The Circle to explore how we can protect women and girls in an increasingly turbulent global landscape, and drive change through collective action. Founded by Annie Lennox alongside other leading women, The Circle is a global feminist organisation bringing together women and allies to create a fairer, safer world. The evening will be hosted by Nuala McGovern, journalist and presenter of BBC Woman’s Hour, in conversation with co-founder of the Malala Fund, Ziauddin Yousafzai, Raakhi Shah, CEO of The Circle, and Delphine Uwamahoro, founder of Our Sisters’ Opportunity in Rwanda. One in three women in the world will experience violence in their lifetime. Join us on International Women’s Day to make a stand and demand change. Speakers: Raakhi Shah, CEO, The Circle Delphine Uwamahoro, Founder and Executive Director, Our Sisters’ Opportunity Ziauddin Yousafzai, Co-founder of Malala Fund Chair: Nuala McGovern, Award-winning BBC News TV and Radio presenter   Donate to the RSA: https://thersa.co/3ZyPOEa Become an RSA Events sponsor: https://utm.guru/ueemb Follow RSA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thersaorg/ Like RSA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theRSAorg/ Listen to RSA Events podcasts: https://bit.ly/35EyQYU Join our Fellowship: https://www.thersa.org/fellowship/join

Can democracies still function when truth itself is destabilised – and what will it take to restore public trust? Around the world, democracies are being outpaced by a rapidly evolving information crisis. AI-generated deepfakes, automated propaganda, and weaponised synthetic media are now flooding public discourse faster than institutions can respond. What the world is witnessing is a runaway surge of falsehoods, which is turbo-charging a deeper collapse in our democratic capacity to verify what’s real, deliberate together, and hold power to account. At this pivotal moment, Eliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat, is bringing forward a new framework for understanding and repairing the deeper democratic fractures beneath the disinformation crisis. This event marks the first public discussion of that work. Eliot is joined by award- winning investigative journalist Carole Cadwalladr – campaigner for a free and accountable press – for a timely discussion in collaboration with Media Revolution campaigners and early adopters of the Bellingcat ARC framework. Together they will examine how AI is supercharging already established disinformation networks – and what new civic, investigative, and institutional infrastructures are needed to rebuild shared reality. Speakers: Eliot Higgins, Founder, Bellingcat Carole Cadwalladr, Investigative Journalist Chair: Liz Pendleton, Co-Founder, Media Revolution   Donate to the RSA: https://thersa.co/3ZyPOEa Become an RSA Events sponsor: https://utm.guru/ueemb Follow RSA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thersaorg/ Like RSA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theRSAorg/ Listen to RSA Events podcasts: https://bit.ly/35EyQYU Join our Fellowship: https://www.thersa.org/fellowship/join