The UK is internationally known for excellence and innovation in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning. AI has already transformed the way we live, work and connect with the world around us, with widespread use across society from finance and marketing to healthcare and security.
The Demystifying AI programme has been created by ASDC to support young people, families, schools and communities to understand AI in everyday life, careers and skills development in AI, and to platform regional diversity through both in person and online engagements. This national STEM engagement project, run by 15 of the UK’s science centres and museums aims to break down some of the complex ideas and technologies behind AI into meaningful, interactive experiences that share the UK’s world-leading AI research and innovation with over 70,000 people over three months.
Map of the Demystifying AI project partners
We’re pleased to announce the 15 science centres and museums running ‘Demystifying AI’ programmes are:
In Scotland:
Aberdeen Science Centre
Dundee Science Centre
Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh
Edinburgh Science
In England:
Exeter Science Centre
International Centre for Life, Newcastle
National Space Centre, Leicester
STEM Discovery Centre, Stevenage
Thinktank, Birmingham
We The Curious, Bristol
In Northern Ireland:
Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, Armagh, Northern Ireland
W5, Belfast
In Wales:
Oriel Science, Swansea
Techniquest, Cardiff
Xplore! Wrexham
Key aims for the programme include exploring AI for the public benefit, broadening horizons in AI and in particular its applications in careers and supporting agency and ownership with AI technologies and their relevance for everyday life.
The programmes running at science centres and museums across the UK from January through to late spring 2026 cover a wide range of topics, from explaining how AI and machine learning works to children as young as 7 using Lego and Minecraft, to educating the elderly on spotting fake news and helping communities to understand the opportunities emerging from their region from the growth of AI, for example in the north-east of England, which is a new AI Growth Zone, creating potential for more than 5,000 jobs and billions in private investment.
Centres aim to reach over 70,000 people during this time through hands-on, interactive exhibits, science busking, discussion panels, planetarium shows, and careers and schools talks. In some centres, the public will have direct access to scientists and engineers using AI to advance and accelerate benefits in medical, environmental and a wide range of applications for the benefit of society in ‘meet the scientist’ sessions.
The Demystifying AI programme has been created and developed by ASDC, supported by a broad range of experts working across key areas in AI including sustainability, health, agriculture, ethics and the future of science. We are particularly grateful to:
- Professor Michael Wooldridge, Ashall Professor of the Foundations of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Oxford
- Zoë Brammer, Strategic Foresight Manager at Google DeepMind
- Matthew Scroggs, Research Software Engineer at University College London
- Professor Kate Royse, Director of the Hartree Centre (STFC, UKRI)
- Dr Aurelia Sauerbrei, Researcher, UKRI Metascience Fellow, University of Oxford
- Dr Xingchi Liu, AI for Science, AI Smart Facilities, STFC
- Dr Francisco Martin-Martinez, Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, King's College London
- Dr Jorge Campos-González, UKRI AI Metascience Fellow, Post-Doctoral Researcher in Agricultural, Environmental and Food Economics, University of Reading
- Tom Betts, Chief Data and AI Officer, Non-executive Director, UK Hydrographic Office
- James Martin, founder of BetterTech, a leading voice in responsible tech
- Stephen King, AI Fluency Programme Designer
Demystifying AI is supported by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), with project development from Science Technology Facilities Council (STFC, part of UKRI).
