AI Futures Day

Step into the world of tomorrow at AI Futures Day 2026, a brand-new event for the Digital Skills Festival unpacking how artificial intelligence is transforming the way we work, learn and innovate.

Taking place at No.1 Circle Square, the day is packed with hands-on experiences, from our Vibe Coding Masterclass, where you can experiment with AI-powered development tools, to the LBG AI Showcase, featuring live demos and real-world applications of AI in enterprise. Wrap up with the AI Café, a relaxed space for discussion, networking and exploring the ethical, societal and workforce implications of AI.

Whether you’re a technologist, business leader, educator, or simply curious about the future of work, AI Futures Day is your opportunity to gain practical insights, connect with experts, and discover the skills and ideas shaping an AI-driven world.

Agenda

Vibe Coding Masterclass
A hands-on session led by Sara Simeone (NoCodeLab.ai) exploring how AI-powered tools are transforming the way we build, code and create – with a focus on experimentation, creativity and real-world application. Instructions on how to prepare for this session will be shared ahead of the event.

Practical Agentic AI in Action with Lloyds Banking Group

Get a hands‑on look at how agentic AI can be applied to real problems inside a large organisation. The Lloyds Banking Group team will walk through a live example of an AI agent in action and share practical insight into how agents are designed, built and grounded in real workflows.

AI Café
Informal, discussion-led conversations on AI, ethics and the future of work and digital skills. The AI Café is Manchester’s first meet-up for visionaries exploring the Artificial Intelligence space, co-founded by David Edmundson-Bird (MMU) and Phil Birchenall (Diagonal Thinking).

Featuring the sessions:

• “Rising the Dead: Building a Business with AI, Memories and Momentum” with Tom Stables (University of Lancashire)
• “The New Media Literacy: How to Think When The Tools Think Back” with Krishna Stott (Bellyfeel)
• “A Bowl of AI Please” with Steve Moyler (THG Studios)