AI Festival

On 4 March 2026, the Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics Network (AIDAN) hosted the vibrant and engaging AI Festival at the Forum Café in the John Henry Brookes Building, Oxford Brookes University.

Plenary Talk

A highlight of the afternoon was the plenary lecture delivered by David Clifton, Royal Academy of Engineering Chair of Clinical Machine Learning at the University of Oxford and Director of the Computational Health Informatics Lab.

Professor Clifton shared insights into machine learning foundation models for healthcare, discussing the development of trustworthy AI systems, clinical decision support technologies, and the safe deployment of AI in real-world medical settings. His talk sparked thoughtful discussion during the Q&A session, particularly around responsible AI, scalability, and collaboration between clinicians, researchers, and industry.

Showcasing AI Across Disciplines

The AI Festival celebrated the diversity of AI applications across the university — from computing and engineering to business, arts, health, and social sciences.

Throughout the afternoon, attendees:

• Met students and staff applying AI to real research projects
• Explored poster presentations and short pitch talks
• Discovered practical ideas for incorporating AI into dissertations and coursework
• Networked with AI and data analytics experts across faculties

The event emphasised that no prior AI experience was required — only curiosity and an openness to innovation.

Poster Competition and Awards

Students working on AI-related projects were encouraged to present posters showcasing their research. The poster session provided a valuable opportunity to gain feedback, build visibility, and inspire peers.

The festival concluded with a poster award ceremony recognising outstanding contributions, followed by closing remarks celebrating the continued growth of the AI community at Oxford Brookes.