Marian is The Data Lab Academy Programme Manager at The Data Lab and leads the Innovation Challenge each year as part of our Scottish Funding Council-funded Masters Scholarship Programme. In this blog, she reflects on Innovation Challenge 2026 and the talent, creativity and resilience demonstrated by this year’s student cohort. The Data Lab Skills team and our […]
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Looking back at DataFest 2026: Advancing AI discussions in Scotland
600 people gathered from across Scotland, the rest of the UK and abroad to attend this year’s sold-out DataFest conference at Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms in May. A focus on intelligent futures Hosted by The Data Lab, Scotland’s Innovation Centre for data and AI, the event brought together participants from industry, academia, the public and third sectors […]
UK laws ‘not ready’ for humanoid robots, expert warns
Humanoid robots are moving closer to everyday life, but the UK lacks the laws and safeguards needed to protect the public, a leading researcher has warned. Dr Carl Strathearn, a lecturer in computer science and researcher in autonomous social robotics at Edinburgh Napier University, said the rapid growth of humanoid robots is outpacing regulation and […]
Scotland Women in Technology partners with The Data Lab to boost women into data and AI leadership roles
Scotland Women in Technology (SWiT) has today announced that it will fund two new cohorts of The Data Lab’s Data and AI Leadership Programme in a bid to boost AI leadership skills among women working in the Scottish tech ecosystem. This is part of a wider multi-year partnership between SWiT and The Data Lab to […]
Wikipedia founder to headline Scotland’s biggest AI gathering
Jimmy Wales, Founder of Wikipedia, headlines DataFest 2026 in Edinburgh this May. Edinburgh is set to host one of Scotland’s most compelling artificial intelligence events this May, as DataFest 2026 brings together one of the technology industry’s most influential entrepreneurs alongside leading figures from OpenAI, Skyscanner and the Mayor of London’s Office for two days of debate and discussion. Jimmy Wales is an American internet entrepreneur, best known as the Founder […]
Open Isn’t Enough: Rethinking Data for AI Agents
We’re delighted to hand the mic over to Gautham Krishnadas for our latest guest blog. Gautham is the Co-founder of Dtechtive, which helps organisations such as the Scottish Government, make data more discoverable, trustworthy and AI-ready. His background spans industry-academia research, full-stack data science, user-centric product design and commercial delivery. He has a PhD in […]
New AI Strategy launched at Edinburgh Futures Institute
On Friday the 20th March, the Scottish Government hosted an event at the Edinburgh Futures Institute to launch Scotland’s new AI Strategy. Supported by The Data Lab and Quantum Communications, the event brought together over 180 members of the thriving Scottish AI ecosystem, including universities and colleges, as well as many key decision-makers from Scottish […]
Announcing the Winners of the The Data Lab Community’s Data Visualisation Competition
Celebrating creativity, insight, and storytelling through data. Now in its second year, The Data Lab Community’s Data Visualisation Competition is an opportunity to come together to celebrate storytelling through data. The competition provides a platform for data visualisers of all levels to hone their skills, demonstrate their abilities, and raise their profile to a global audience of data & AI professionals, students and enthusiasts. The […]
Stepping into 2026 – Reflections from our January Predictions Meet-up
January’s Predictions meet-up marked a personal milestone for me – it was my first Data Lab Community event as the new Chair. While I’ve been a member of the Community for years, this was my first opportunity to introduce myself in this new role – and to do so in front of 300+ registered attendees, […]
Converge innovation challenge opens for applications
Converge is on the hunt for the next generation of academic innovators looking to transform their world-class research and innovation into impactful businesses. Applications are now open for the prestigious programme, which combines expert-led business training with a competitive edge. Converge Challenge Sector-specific prizes boosting business There are a range of challenges to apply for, […]