National Conversations have launched their campaign to put digital and AI issues at the heart of the May elections in Scotland with cross-party hustings events on technology matters, and a signed statement from political and industry leaders.
Digital technology and AI now shape how we access media, jobs, healthcare, education, and public services. They connect us, but they can also divide, exploit, and exclude. Yet we rarely stop to ask how we want them to serve people, communities, and democracy.
National Conversations is an independent, politically neutral, non-profit organisation led by practitioners and backed by signatories from the public and private sectors, academia, journalism, and politics. It does not take corporate sponsorship. Its aim is to bring technology, digital policy, and AI into democratic debate and long-term public planning.
The campaign builds on a public pledge which states:
“The 25th anniversary of our parliaments is the right time to reflect and open national conversations on digital technology.
Digital technologies are now central to how we access healthcare, jobs, and government services. They connect us, and divide us, they bring great benefits, but also great harms. Yet we rarely talk about how we want them to serve our nations.
Join us in calling for a future where digital is central – and where we have a say in how it evolves.”
The pledge has been signed by leaders from politics, industry, and academia in Scotland and Wales.
Gordon Guthrie, director of National Conversations, said:
“Twenty-five years after devolution and the birth of the modern digital era, it is time to take stock. These elections are a chance to ask how technology should serve the public, and how citizens can stay in control as its influence grows. These elections will see a changing of the guard amongst our elected representatives with a wave of digital natives coming to prominence for the first time. Now is the time for change.”
Dr Daniel Winterstein, co-organiser of National Conversations, said:
“Questions about AI, digital power, and economic fairness can no longer be ignored. They affect how people work, learn, access services, and participate in democracy. We want these elections to include a serious public conversation about how Scotland, Wales, and Britain stay in control of technology, rather than simply adapting to decisions made elsewhere.”
PRE-ELECTION HUSTINGS
Election Hustings on Tech and AI (Society and Media theme)
Location: Impact Arts, 105 Brunswick St, Glasgow, G1 1TF and online
Speakers:
- Patrick Harvey MSP (Green Party)
- Vonnie Sandlan (Scottish Labour)
- Declan Blench (SNP)
- Anna Burnside, Chair
- Professor Lillian Edwards, University of Newcastle
- Pat Kane, Artist and cultural commentator, formerly half of the pop duo Hue and Cry
Election Hustings on Tech and AI (Economy theme)
Location: Bayes Centre, University of Edinburgh, 47 Potterrow, Edinburgh, EH8 9BT and online
Speakers:
- Daniel Johnson MSP (Scottish Labour)
- Miles Briggs MSP (Scottish Conservatives)
- Ben Macpherson MSP (SNP)
- Ethan Claridge, Holyrood, Chair
- Brian Baglow Level Up Scotland, National Games Strategy
- Professor Fiona McNeill, University of Edinburgh
SIGNATORIES
Selected signatories include:
- Susan Aitken (Leader of Glasgow City Council)
- Stephen Coleman OBE (CEO and Co-founder of CodeBase)
- Karen Meechan (CEO of ScotlandIS)
- Edward Saperia (Dean of the London College of Political Technology)
- John McTernan (Political strategist)
- Andrew Williams (Chair of ScotlandIS)
- Daniel Winterstein (University of Edinburgh, AI Entrepreneur in Residence)
- Alex Coley (ex-Defra and ex-Welsh Government Brexit Advisory Group)
- Gavin Freeguard (Director, State of the Future)
- Craig Somerville (TechScaler VC founder)
- Robert Walker (contributor to Scotland’s AI strategy)
- Nia Campbell, Jo Carter, and Dafydd Vaughan (authors of Transform Wales)
Alongside leaders from civic technology, academia, journalism, government, and industry. A full list is available on request, and on the National Conversations website.