The Data Lab has announced that DataFest21, the UK’s biggest data and artificial intelligence festival, will officially launch on Thursday 25th March.

Now in its fifth year, DataFest21 will feature talks from industry-leading keynote speakers. The free-to-attend event will explore the theme ‘#OurData’, underlining the importance of data to economic growth, social progress and knowledge base.

The Data Lab confirmed the event will also encourage debate on ethics and aim to deepen understanding of data ownership.

DataFest21

Hosted by broadcaster and CEO of TeenTech, Maggie Philbin, the launch event will feature talks from Dr Leyla Acaroglu; an award-winning designer, sociologist, and sustainability expert who is internationally recognised as a leading force in the movement for a sustainable and circular future.

Alongside Dr Acaroglu, attendees of DataFest21 will see Sir David Spiegelhalter; Winton Professor for the Public Understanding of Risk, and Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Cambridge, who was awarded a Knighthood for his services to statistics in 2014.

More speakers will be announced for future DataFest21 events in the coming months.

Gillian Docherty, CEO of The Data Lab, said: “Like many others, we have taken our events online this year and we have been working tirelessly over the last twelve months to make sure they’re as fascinating and engaging as our previous festivals.

“We are thrilled to have Maggie Philbin kick off this year’s launch event, and the likes of Dr Leyla Acaroglu and Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter joining us as keynote speakers.

“We’re really looking forward to hearing their inspirational stories and insights into what the future holds with this year’s theme, #OurData.”

DataSummit Returns

DataSummit will round off this year’s festival and is expected to be held as a hybrid event in November.

The summit, which has previously featured keynote speakers including Christopher Wylie, the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica whistleblower and Google’s Cassie Kozyrov, will bring together industry professionals to discuss and explore innovative examples of using data for good.

Commenting on DataFest21 launch, Maggie Philbin said: “Now more than ever, DataFest is a crucial platform to showcase Scotland as the global leader in data innovation.

“Year on year, DataFest provides a fundamental programme of events allowing for discussions to take place with likeminded individuals from industry, academia, and the public sector – bringing them together to share their knowledge and prepare for the future ahead.”

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To mark this year’s series of virtual events running from March to November, the theme #OurData will also encompass discussions and events on #OurPlanet, covering environment and climate change; #OurPeople, reviewing social elements such as health and wellbeing; and #OurFuture, uncovering the companies and technologies that will shape the decades to come.

Each topic will be explored in a series of discussions and events spanning three weeks, and will be spread out throughout the year.