Diversity UK Hosts ‘Building Responsible AI’ Panel Discussion
Diversity UK, in collaboration with Futurum Financial Advice, held an Asian Tech Pioneers Winter Drinks Reception on Friday 22nd November 2024, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Asians in Tech initiative. This event brought together key stakeholders in technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital inclusion. This year’s theme, Building Responsible AI, centred on the rapid advancements in AI and the pressing need to address its ethical and societal implications, with a particular focus on its potential impact on minority communities.
The reception served as a platform for discussions on shaping the future of AI regulation and governance, especially in the context of the European Union’s AI Act, which came into effect on 1st August 2024. The Act represents a pivotal moment in global AI regulation, categorising AI systems into three risk levels and introducing a framework to manage potential harms arising from their deployment.
The Panel Discussion
The evening featured an insightful panel discussion moderated by Lopa Patel MBE, Chair of Diversity UK. The panel included a distinguished line-up of speakers:
- Petra Abbam – Principal Responsible AI Manager, BBC
- Seto Adenuga – AI Governance & Ethics Manager, Kainos Group plc
- Jana Novohradská – Member of CERAI, an independent advisory committee to Slovakia’s Ministry of Investments, Regional Development, and Informatisation
- Zahra Shah – AI & Frontier Tech Expert
The panel collectively explored how AI can be developed responsibly to minimise bias and ensure diverse communities are both protected and empowered in the digital era.
Why Building Responsible AI Matters
While AI holds immense potential to drive innovation and enhance lives, it also poses significant risks, particularly for communities that have historically faced marginalisation due to bias in technology. Algorithmic discrimination can manifest in critical areas such as recruitment and healthcare, underscoring the importance of addressing these risks to shape a fair and just AI-driven future.
The concept of Responsible AI champions the development of ethical, transparent, and accountable AI systems that reduce harm, foster inclusivity, and uphold human rights.
Key Discussion Points
The panel explored several critical issues, including:
Guardrails for Responsible AI Development
What standards, frameworks, and ethical principles should developers employ to mitigate risks of bias and harm? This included existing data standards like ISO 42001, GDPR and AI guidelines.
How can these safeguards be effectively implemented?
Correcting AI Models
How can AI systems be designed to ensure transparency, fairness, and the ability to rectify errors or biases?
The Role of AGI (Artificial General Intelligence)
Is AGI a credible future development or an overhyped concept?
How should this idea influence current approaches to AI governance?
Bias in AI and Marginalised Communities
How can we ensure AI prioritises the needs and rights of groups most vulnerable to biased algorithms, such as racial, ethnic, and gender minorities, as well as underrepresented geographic and demographic populations?
Reflections on the EU AI Act
Will the EU AI Act be effective?
Should Britain adopt a similar framework, or are there alternative regulatory models to tackle the misuse of AI? The panel outlined the current AI regulation in the UK which is divided between the ICO, CMA, FCA and Ofcom without there being a central AI regulator.
The panel also highlighted examples of positive AI applications, underscoring its potential for good when designed responsibly.
Insights from the Event Host
Alex Danks, Financial Advisor and Principal at Futurum Financial Advice, said:
“In the UK, financial planning is not taught in schools. You are thrust into the real world and left to fend for yourself, which stifles the economy, innovation, business, and wealth creation. It’s vital to recognise that these tasks cannot simply be delegated to artificial intelligence without intelligent human oversight.
Diversity UK’s next generation of changemakers—you, the audience—represent the future. I am inspired by the insightful questions raised about AI and its implementation and deeply impressed by the panellists and their expertise. I hope Futurum Financial Advice and Diversity UK can continue to build on the synergies we’ve explored to bring more exciting events in the future.”
The evening underscored the importance of fostering inclusive and ethical AI systems, offering a meaningful dialogue on the challenges and opportunities presented by AI as it shapes the future of society.
Host Speaker Biography
Alex Danks DipPFS
Financial Advisor & Principal | Futurum Financial Advice
Alex Danks DipPFS has been with St. James’s Place since February 2012 and spent the first six years working alongside two very experienced Partners. Alex launched his own business in January 2018, seeking to combine the benefits of a traditional approach to financial planning with more modern, technology-based solutions to help clients meet their goals. “I wanted to make our services available to all, based on my core belief that everyone should have the opportunity to benefit from the guidance and structure provided by a financial planner,” says Alex, “what we provide at Futurum Financial Advice is built on what I’ve learned and what our clients have told us they want. We are dedicated to service and put you at the centre of everything we do. And this is backed by the tradition and support of St. James’s Place, a FTSE 100 company, which provides you and us with first-class investment management technical expertise.” Delegate your financial planning to the experts and focus on you.
For further information, visit https://www.futurumfa.co.uk/
The value of an investment with St. James’s Place will be directly linked to the performance of the funds you select and the value can therefore go down as well as up. You may get back less than you invested.
Panel Speaker Biographies
Petra Abbam
Principal Responsible AI Manager, BBC
Petra Abbam leads AI strategy for the BBC, with a focus on ensuring that AI technologies used within the organisation align with ethical standards and contribute to inclusive and unbiased content production. Her work involves overseeing AI applications in journalism, content creation, and audience engagement. She joined the BBC in 2016 and previously oversaw the publishing operations for the BBC Proms and the BBC Orchestras and Choirs. She has worked in many sectors including technology, finance, advertising and sales.
Petra was a 2017/18 BBC fellow on the Clore Leadership Programme where she investigated ethics, bias and fairness in technology, particularly around content production and dissemination and how algorithms can represent the entirety of society. She is also interested in the accountability and ownership of personal decisions and the community impact of these. Petra is also a volunteer official with England Athletics and a mentor for Media Trust.
Seto 
Adenuga
AI Governance & Ethics Manager, Kainos Group plc
Seto Adenuga specialises in governance frameworks and ethical considerations within AI development. With Kainos, she is focused on ensuring AI systems used in business and public sectors meet high ethical standards, ensuring both compliance and public trust.
Jana Novohradská
Member of CERAI, Ministry of Investments, Regional Development & Informatisation of Slovakia
Jana Novohradská is currently a Member of CERAI, an independent expert and advisory committee of the Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatisation of Slovakia. She has served as a policy advisor in the Slovakian government on Artificial Intelligence and Women in Digital agendas. Jana combines technical, policy and regulatory experience in international information technologies normative frameworks. She has represented Slovakia at UNESCO, OECD, European Commission and Council of Europe Artificial Intelligence working groups and committees. Her expertise drives public sector initiatives in Slovakia with regards to strategic European Commission projects such as AI regulatory sandboxes, AI Testing and Experimentation Facilities, Union Testing Facilities & the AI Governance Framework. Prior to her international policy work, Jana specialised in high frequency trading systems and robotics process automation in banking.
Zahra Shah
AI & Frontier Tech Expert
Zahra Shah is an AI and Frontier Tech expert, entrepreneur, advisor, NED, investor, and speaker, serving on several boards. She is passionate about AI/Gen AI, privacy, frontier tech for good, diversity, and innovation. She is an Expert Member of the Technology Advisory Panel at the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), advising on privacy implications of frontier technologies. Zahra is a Board Advisor at NexaQuanta, an AI transformation consultancy, and a Senior Board Advisor at TeamUp Ventures, where she advises on tech venture investments. As Co-Founder, NED, and Investor at Seers, she supports privacy and consent management solutions. Previously, she spent over a decade at Accenture, advising global investment banks on regulatory compliance through RegTech. She holds an MSc in ADMIS and an MBA Essentials Certification from LSE.
