Events
Why the retail industry is broken and what can be done to fix it
The news is full of stories about disappearing retail chains, from BHS and Maplin in the UK to Toys’R’Us, Aeropostale and A&P in the US. Recognised names are vanishing overnight with the loss of hundreds of stores and thousands of jobs. As such large organisations disappear, so the malls, shopping centres, high streets and main streets become less appealing to visit.
Mark Pilkington argues that, while the decline in manufacturing receives more news attention, the retail sector is more important in terms of job numbers. Anything that jeopardises this sector will therefore have a deep and lasting impact on millions of lives, as well as on public policy.
While many people point a finger at the ‘Amazon effect’, this is an oversimplification. Deeper forces are at work that are changing people’s relationships with brands, the balance of power between producers and consumers, and the whole nature of the supply chain that has existed since the industrial revolution.
on Blitzscaling, in conversation with James Manyika of the McKinsey Global Institute
Silicon Valley is home to a disproportionate number of companies that have grown from garage startups into global giants. But what is the secret to these startups’ extraordinary success? Contrary to popular narrative, it’s not their superhuman founders or savvy venture capitalists. Rather, it’s that they have learned how to blitzscale.
Blitzscaling is a specific set of practices for igniting and managing dizzying growth; an accelerated path to the stage in a startup’s life-cycle where the most value is created. It prioritizes speed over efficiency in an environment of uncertainty, and allows a company to go from “startup” to “scaleup” at a furious pace that captures the market.
Co-founder and CEO of elite cyber security firm, [redacted]
Hacking is not a victimless crime. [redacted] relentlessly pursues the perpetrators and holds them personally accountable.
A hand-picked team of the world’s elite cyber security talent from both the private and the public sector, [redacted] fuses highly-specialised intelligence skills with technical acumen, enabling them to uniquely connect the dots and protect their clients.
in conversation with Natalie Portman
To mark the publication of his highly-anticipated new book, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, global phenomenon Prof Yuval Noah Harari will discuss the most urgent issues of our times at a special how to: Academy event.
Harari will be joined in conversation by award-winning actress, director, activist and Harvard graduate Natalie Portman, who is one of a number of high-profile figures who have read and recommended Harari’s books in the past – alongside the likes of Barack Obama, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates. Portman has also studied at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem where Harari now teaches.
Harari’s latest book tackles a number of contemporary issues, both personal and global, ranging from Brexit, fake news and the future of welfare, to mental stability, ecological cataclysm and technological disruptions.
All day festival at The Tanks at Tate Modern
WIRED Next Generation is a unique educational and inspirational festival dedicated to and designed for those aged 13-19. The one-day event will showcase the future and explain how young people can influence it.
Combining inspiring talks with hands-on workshops, this day motivates young people to dream up new ideas, and starts the important conversation on which future they want to build.
Pi members will be required to purchase their own tickets, with a discount code that will be supplied by the events team.
with Chris Wigley and Dr Ines Marusic of QuantumBlack and Richard Peters of Decoded
This is the first in the Pi/QuantumBlack series on artificial intelligence, AI and us.
It is hard to move these days without running into something to do with AI: we use the technologies every day, through our phones and computers, and we are bombarded with breathless and conflicting opinions as to whether they will harm or heal our world. In mounting this series, we aim to provide attendees with a broad introduction to AI and what it can do for us, as well as to cut through to some of the core questions that the technologies raise for business, for society and for our sense of self.
Decoded in 1 hour with Kathryn Parsons and Matt Lilley
Join Decoded CEO, Kathryn Parsons, and quantum educator, Matt Lilley, for a one hour deep dive into the world of quantum computing.
Ask any question and see the technologies in action.
Limited availability.
A primer from Dave King of Digitalis (v2)
We all have a digital profile. But do we know the risks this can pose?
In this hands on session – a follow up to May’s event – Pi member, Dave King, will talk about the basics of managing your online profile and exposure to minimise physical, reputational and cyber vulnerabilities (ranging from criminals using data willingly provided by family members on social media to legacy information being kept on file to embarrass people around key appointments).
The people vs. tech: How the internet is killing democracy (and how we save it)
News today is rife with stories about ‘big tech’, Russian hackers and Facebook’s growing role in politics – much of it well-trodden and repetitive – but underneath it all is a simple truth: digital technology and our democracy are incompatible. We must reform democracy and rein in digital disruption within the next twenty years or risk losing democracy for good.
In his latest book, Jamie Bartlett offers twenty bold, radical proposals on how to do this and reveals a comprehensive and often shocking roadmap of where democracy is heading: a techno-dystopia where freedom is traded for security and efficiency. Examining six ‘pillars’ of democracy he vividly illustrates how each is under threat from big data, AI, connectivity and smartphone addiction.
A primer from Dave King of Digitalis
We all have a digital profile. But do we know the risks this can pose?
In this hands on session, Pi member, Dave King, will talk about the basics of managing your online profile and exposure to minimise physical, reputational and cyber vulnerabilities (ranging from criminals using data willingly provided by family members on social media to legacy information being kept on file to embarrass people around key appointments).
Numbers will be limited to ensure that the event remains highly interactive.
Past Events
Bloomberg News Editor-in-Chief, Head of Economics and Politics, Contributing Editor, Global Business Columnist
What to expect from the US election and the new UK Government
Artist
Patricia Swannell: A Commemorative Exhibition
