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Following a sell-out Isle of Man launch in September, we're excited to launch our Liverpool Chapter. On Tuesday 27th October we're exhibiting at the Liverpool City Region AI Summit, then celebrating our Liverpool chapter launch at Revolution Bar, Albert Dock, from 6pm–8pm.

Liverpool holds a very special place in our growing community. It's where our founder, Laura Walker, returned to university in her forties to study for a Master's in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Liverpool Management School and met Neha Manoharan, who was studying on the same programme and now leads our Liverpool chapter.

The AI Social is a new community for women to connect, learn and explore AI through relaxed social meetups, guest speakers and workshops, online and in person. Since launching online in August 2026, 10 chapters have formed across the UK, Europe and internationally. Now, Laura and Neha are bringing the community to the city where they first met and studied AI together.

Whether you're a woman using AI every day or simply curious about it, come along to meet us, make new connections and celebrate the launch. Expect a relaxed evening of conversation, the chance to meet other women who are curious about AI, and to hear what's planned for Liverpool — meetups, guest speakers and workshops shaped around the city and its community.

A big thank you to Generative Minds UK for sponsoring our Liverpool launch and helping us bring this community together. 🖤

Bea’s interest in AI began by using it practically in her work, getting curious, and wanting to learn more.

She brings over 15 years’ experience in digital marketing, working with global brands including Regus, PokerStars and Flutter International. She has led international teams and built digital operations from the ground up. Today, she also helps smaller businesses with their growth plans and marketing strategy, using AI as a practical partner in both settings.

That curiosity has taken her from teaching herself to build apps to completing the Oxford Artificial Intelligence Programme at Saïd Business School and a digital transformation programme at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Bea is quick to acknowledge that navigating AI is an ongoing learning curve for all of us. She believes that as AI becomes part of more of our lives, we need places to share what works, what doesn’t, and what concerns us.

As St Albans Chapter Lead, she is creating a local space where women across St Albans and surrounding areas can explore what AI means for their work and everyday lives, without needing a technical background or knowing where to start. Whether it’s a relaxed social, a practical workshop or a guest speaker, you’re welcome to come along, ask questions and learn together.

We're excited to share that The AI Social will be exhibiting at the Liverpool City Region AI Summit on Tuesday 27th October!

Liverpool has a very special place in our story. In her forties, our founder, Laura Walker, completed a Master's in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Liverpool Management School. It was there that she met fellow coursemate and friend, the amazing Neha Manoharan, who is now leading The AI Social's Liverpool chapter.

The AI Social is a community for women of all ages and backgrounds to meet, learn and explore AI together. Whether you work with AI every day or are just curious about it, you're welcome here.

Come and meet us at the AI Summit at the Convention Centre, Liverpool Experience Campus (LEX), formerly ACC Liverpool. Then, after the Summit, from 6pm–8pm, join us to celebrate the launch of our Liverpool chapter.

Our launch event tickets and venue details will be released soon. Sign up as a member to join our Liverpool community and receive updates.

Save the date!

We're delighted to welcome Sarah as our new Chapter Lead.

Sarah is a narrative architect, trained journalist and communications leader with almost two decades of experience helping organisations become better understood. She is the founder of SJK Labs, a strategic advisory practice working with founders and leadership teams to shape how their organisations are understood, trusted and chosen by people and AI systems.

Through SJK Labs, Sarah researches how AI systems retrieve, interpret and represent organisations, and developed Narrative Architecture as a way of aligning what a business says, what it does and what humans and machines ultimately understand. She is the author of 'The B2B Legibility Report' and hosts PRception, where she speaks with researchers, founders and technologists about trust, influence and decision making in the AI era.

Sarah is particularly interested in helping women of all ages develop confidence around AI. Through relaxed meetups, practical workshops and conversations with guest speakers, she hopes to bring together Brighton & Hove's founders, creatives, professionals, researchers and community builders to learn from one another and help shape how AI is understood and used locally.

We're delighted to announce that Professor Sue Black OBE will be The AI Social's very first guest speaker!

Named one of Forbes' Top 50 Women in Tech globally, Sue is Professor of Computer Science at Durham University, a technology evangelist, author and campaigner who has spent more than 25 years working to make technology a more inclusive place.

Sue is probably best known for leading the campaign to save Bletchley Park, bringing together thousands of people through social media and helping to secure the future of one of the most important sites in computing history (Bletchley Park Trust).

She has been opening doors for women in technology throughout her career. She founded the UK's first online network for women in tech, BCSWomen, in 2001, #techmums in 2013 and, most recently, the Women in Tech Power Network, a community helping women in tech build their confidence, networks and careers.

At Durham University, Sue founded and leads TechUP Women, created to give women from underserved and underrepresented communities the opportunity to retrain for careers in technology. Since launching in 2019, the TechUP Programme has supported hundreds of women, with many going on to new jobs, promotions and further study.

Sue's current work also focuses on AI: how we make sure people understand it, how organisations adopt it responsibly and, crucially, how we ensure that the technology we build works for everyone. She works across academia, industry and government and is a regular keynote speaker on AI, technology, leadership, diversity and the power of networks to create change.

Sue was awarded an OBE for services to technology in 2016.

We can't think of a better person to kick off The AI Social, and we can't wait to welcome her as our very first online guest speaker! Details for Sue's online talk will be released soon. Follow The AI Social for more information and updates, and register as a member at www.theaisocial.org.

Learn more about TechUP: www.techup.ac.uk

The AI Social is delighted to welcome Zurich on the Isle of Man and MMC – Content & Communications as sponsors of its launch event on Wednesday 16 September 2026. The launch marks the beginning of a new community for women who want to meet new people, explore AI and learn in a relaxed, welcoming way. Guests can expect informal conversation, fresh ideas and an introduction to upcoming in-person meetups, online guest speaker sessions and practical workshops.

MMC – Content & Communications joins as the very first sponsor of The AI Social, supporting the event from the very beginning. Craig Wolstencroft, Managing Director at MMC, said: "AI is already changing how we live and work, and women should have a strong voice in where it goes next. MMC is proud to sponsor this event, creating a welcoming space for women to learn more about AI and connect with others who are curious about it."

Zurich on the Isle of Man also joins as a launch sponsor, reflecting its wider commitments to AI and diversity. "Zurich on the Isle of Man is proud to be a sponsor of The AI Social," a spokesperson said. "This initiative complements Zurich's group wide AI for Everyone principle which aims to enable colleagues across our organisation to work confidently with AI while scaling it responsibly to create sustainable long term value, and it's also aligned with our diversity & inclusion strategy."

Laura Walker, Founder of The AI Social, said: "We are so grateful to both Zurich and MMC for supporting the launch. Their backing is helping us bring women together to explore AI, build confidence and make meaningful new connections."

We are thrilled to welcome Melissa Mukasa as South London Chapter Lead. Melissa is building an open, empowering and deeply inclusive community where women can meet, learn and explore AI together, whatever their background or level of experience.

Melissa is a Senior Events and Marketing Lead specialising in AI developer programmes. She leads flagship digital initiatives for Google DeepMind and Kaggle, helping to grow global developer communities and deliver large-scale learning experiences, including Google's 5 Days of AI, which has reached more than 1.5 million participants. With more than seven years' experience across Google, YouTube and the tech start-up landscape, her work brings together technical community building, go-to-market strategy and AI adoption.

As a first-generation Black immigrant living in London, Melissa brings a lived perspective that shapes how she views technological progress. She is committed to ensuring the rapid pace of AI does not leave communities, particularly older generations, behind.

Through relaxed social meetups, practical conversations and shared learning, Melissa is looking forward to helping women across South London ask bold questions, bridge the generational technology divide and build lasting confidence in this new era.

We are delighted to welcome Tejiri Aganbi as Swindon Chapter Lead. She brings experience in digital transformation and responsible AI adoption to help create a friendly local space for women to explore AI together.

Tejiri is an AI Programme Manager who has delivered transformation programmes across public sector and commercial organisations. Her work includes managing an AI assisted healthcare triage pilot, leading a Microsoft 365 Copilot implementation and running workshops that help people use AI confidently and responsibly.

She holds a Master's degree in Information Systems and Business Analysis from Aston University and is currently studying for an MSc in Artificial Intelligence. She believes successful AI adoption is as much about confidence and opportunity as it is about technology.

Tejiri will be organising beginner friendly meetups in Swindon for women across professional, student, business and wider community networks, focused on practical learning, peer support and hands on time with AI tools.

We are excited to welcome Carroll Taggart as Isle of Man Chapter Lead. With extensive technology experience and a commitment to responsible AI, she will help make AI approachable for women on the Island.

Carroll brings more than 15 years in the technology sector, including senior roles at PokerStars and Paddy Power, and is currently Head of Marketing Planning Excellence UKI at Flutter Entertainment plc. She is a graduate of the Oxford University Artificial Intelligence Programme and a Certified AI Professional, with further certification in AI marketing strategy and tools through the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

She is also deeply involved in Island life. Carroll is an Ambassador for the Global Council for Responsible AI, volunteers with Junior Achievement helping young people build skills for work and life, and co-hosts monthly Startup Grind Isle of Man events that bring entrepreneurs together to learn and connect.

Carroll will lead local meetups, panels and workshops that bring together women curious about AI, from complete beginners to those already working in tech, with an emphasis on practical confidence rather than theory.