Speaking
Keynotes, workshops, training, and advisory retainers for conferences, universities, and organisations.
Keynotes
Every keynote is shaped to your audience and your needs. Two examples:
Critical AI Literacy: What Your Organisation Is Getting Wrong
AI literacy runs deeper than writing a good prompt. It is knowing how to read AI output critically, identify what is missing, and make informed decisions about when to use these tools. This talk covers the AI Literacy Deficit Model and gives educators, professionals, and leaders a framework for building genuine critical AI literacy. Grounded in research, delivered with practical examples your audience can use immediately.
Why AI Detectors Will Never Work
Most people score 4 out of 10 at telling human writing from AI, and my game Bot or Not proves it live with the audience. Detectors do no better, and they never will. The failure is technical, since detection and generation improve in lockstep, and it is pedagogical, since it casts teachers as police and students as suspects. It also lands hardest on non-native writers, who are flagged more often. This talk shows why detection is a dead end, and what to build in its place: assessment and trust that start from the student.
Workshops, training, and retainers
AI Adoption Audit Workshop
Your team completes the AI Adoption Audit before the session. The workshop unpacks the results: where you are over-adopting, where you are under-adopting, and what to do about both. Half-day or full-day. For leadership teams, departments, or cross-functional groups.
Critical AI Literacy Training
Structured training for staff at any level. Not how to use AI tools. How to evaluate them, question their outputs, and decide when they belong in a workflow and when they do not. Covers the common failure modes, the psychology of AI trust, and practical exercises your team can apply immediately. Available as a single session or a multi-session programme.
Ongoing Advisory Retainer
For organisations that need sustained support rather than a one-off session. Monthly check-ins, policy review, staff Q&A sessions, and direct access for emerging AI questions. Particularly suited to universities, public sector organisations, and companies navigating AI adoption across multiple teams.
'He is passionate and driven to make learning and teaching stimulating and stick. His work around cross-disciplinary working and poetry for teaching is inspirational. Sam is making a real difference to our students and staff.'
Chrissi Nerantzi, Professor in Creative and Open Education, National Teaching Fellow
'I signed up for the certificate and it feels like I have found a raft in the ocean of AI hot takes. Not exaggerating when I say I feel like you’ve saved my relationship with my job.'
Louisa Mackenzie, Higher Education Professional
Recent and upcoming
Free public lesson, ‘Spot When AI Is Fooling You’, Maven Lightning Lesson, online
Keynote, ‘Understanding the Limits of AI and Using It Responsibly’, AI in Schools and Colleges Scotland, COSLA Conference Centre, Edinburgh
Keynote, No Boundaries: A Festival of Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration, Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre, University of Glasgow
Keynote, RCA AI Festival 2026, Royal College of Art, London
Invited panellist, CIC AI Ready Webinar, Council of Independent Colleges (US)
Keynote, Institute of Physics
Invited speaker, Equity Unbound
Keynote, U!REKA EduForum, VSB Technical University of Ostrava, Czechia
Keynote, Brain to Machine Generative AI Conference, Learning Planet Institute
Keynote, ARC Speaker Series, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, USA
Slow Takes, weekly live AI news and analysis with Leor Gayr (watch past episodes)
Also invited by
- Council of Europe (expert witness)
- European Commission (expert witness)
- Westminster Education Forum
- House of Lords Select Committee
- Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
- Google (SciFoo, Googleplex)
- NPR (All Things Considered)
- BBC Radio 3, Radio 4, Radio Scotland
- Royal Astronomical Society
- Stockholm Resilience Centre
- Swedish Research Council
- Science Foundation Ireland
- Policy Connect
- Falling Walls
- British Science Association
- Wellesley College
- Barcelona Biomedical Research Park
- University of Edinburgh
- Brock University
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Green Man Festival, Royal Shakespeare Company
Booking enquiries
Available for keynotes, workshops, training programmes, advisory retainers, panels, and webinars. In-person and online. Typical engagements run £5-15k depending on format, duration, and audience. Bespoke pricing for larger programmes and institutional cohorts.
Get in touch: sam.illingworth@gmail.com