David Maher Roberts

AI has the power to solve pressing issues in health care, climate and the economy. Great to speak at Tony Blair Institute for Global Change's #FutureofBritain Conference yesterday. You can watch my speech here: https://bit.ly/4ddc5er

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Big data research and AI has created competing narratives with one side often lamenting the 'rise of the machines' and another side extolling the amazing things that we can learn with big data research. I never bought into the Terminator view, but have been increasingly frustrated with big data research because it's largely descriptive and once we get beyond the pretty pictures, it just wasn't as satisfying because I wanted to get beyond sentiment... I wanted to test and/or build theory not just look at very very (did I mention very) cool visualizations and trends. Then earlier this year my husband came across a RAG/LLM/NLP tool that didn't talk pish (i.e., addressed the well-known problem of hallucinations in tools like ChatGPT and other AIs) AND didn't require a PhD in computer science to use. LlamaParsing was developed to help organizations sort through their jillions of pages of documentation logically and usefully. But in academic terms, what it allows us to do is big data qualitative research and theory building/fit testing. So, I am really excited to share a piece of research that was just posted online today in Corporate Communications: An International Journal where Stuart and I tested the validity and reliability of this LlamaParsing RAG procedure in theory building and testing big data against a chunky data set related to Scottish independence conversations on Twitter (always Twitter, never X). Spoiler alert... yeah... it worked amazingly well. 😉 Apparently, if you can use R for big data analysis, you do can this (that's what Stuart says... that wasn't my contribution ;) ). https://lnkd.in/d-Wpfwhj

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The lack of alignment between development and the narrative for development is impacted on by the way media tell our stories and interpret our realities this takes a close look at the relationship between media leadership and development. #leadership #development #media #rights #responsibilities #freedom #pressfreedom #change #transformation #LatinAmerica #Caribbean #InvestInChange see Link: https://lnkd.in/dJ3CAsD7

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Looking back on May, I've had the pleasure of being part of some great events: - How I built it with Silverstone Technology Cluster, Barclays Eagle Labs, EFM and MPA - Grant funding workshop at Vulcan Works - Provocation Sessions with WeAreMotus - Grant funding and finance at the MK Ethnic Business Community (MKEBC) meetup - The Lunch with Yellowyoyo My key takeaways have been: - Think of the exit strategy at the start when looking at finance options - Do your homework and prepare for any funding or finance option that you choose to grow your business - Use insights, testing and research to create brands and marketing campaigns that really speak to your customers but balance this with intuition and gut feel - Don't pay for advisors - there are so many free options available such as ADPList for free mentors

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Gates Foundation's 2025 Open Access Policy introduces a preprint mandate alongside changes in funding support, triggering discussions. The policy, building upon the 2021 framework, now requires both preprint and accepted manuscript availability, with exemptions available for ethical concerns. While maintaining alignment with Plan S, the policy discontinues financial support for publication fees, raising concerns among grantees. Implications span from author publication choices to reader access and publisher strategies, with potential shifts in scholarly communication workflows on the horizon. The move prompts speculation about future policy evolution and the Foundation's role in shaping publishing infrastructure.

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My thanks goes to Joss Colchester and the team at the Systems Innovation for putting on a much needed and important 2 day conference in London. The theme of systems innovation is incredibly important one.... especially as we see the legacy, siloed and transactional institutions that surround us struggling to deal with the complexities of the challenges we face and the gathering storm clouds of the Poly/ Meta Crisis that are looming larger than ever. I was invited to talk about #systems #transformation in the context of the future of health. This is a broad topic in which I sought to address the planetary forces at play that shape the contexts and possibilities for #health and human/ planetary #flourishing as well as the huge opportunities to reframe around a new vision and systems orientation. One that both speaks to the deficiencies of current approaches and invites the birthing of a new whole systems approach to our individual and collective health in the 21st century. For those familiar with my work you will know I have been deeply fascinated in the interconnectedness of all things and the ideas of continual change and systems within systems/ holons within holons. This was a great opportunity to share ideas in both theory and practice I have been working on for some time mostly in the area of the future of health. This included some of the key themes included in the Imperial College "Leading Systemic Innovation in Healthcare" Exec Ed Programme I am leading as well as the more recent work working with Suffolk and NE Essex (SNEE) Integrated Care System on re-imagining and enacting a whole systems approach to population health. - For more info on SNEE's Future Shift programme see here: https://lnkd.in/ehPQrMG8 - For more info and participate in the Imperial College programme see here: https://lnkd.in/dnVGSDVB #nhs #nhsengland #future #systemsthinking

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Forum of Private Business research from data forward has revealed what Tony Robinson has known for years in “Scarbados” that coastal towns are booming centers for micro businesses! The research which looks at data from more than half a million digital microbusinesses revealed that towns like Felixstowe, Sidmouth, Bournemouth and Bexhill-on-sea are at the heart of this boom and the Suffolk coastal area is the sixth fastest growing area of the country and saw growth of 54% in its micro business density score more than 10 times the average UK growth rate of 5%. Microbusinesses are a vital part of the UK economy and it looks like a lot of them also enjoy the seaside!

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In his latest blog, Ollie Binks, Operations Director of Innovation at Hall & Partners, asks the big question: Is AI living up to the hype, or have we set our expectations too high?    Drawing comparisons to the art of stage magic, Oliver explores the challenges of adopting AI in research – tools that promise innovation but often require immense preparation for modest returns. Yet, despite the hurdles, he believes the true potential of AI lies in how it enables researchers to refine their craft, uncover deeper insights, and challenge the norms of our industry.     "By taking small incremental steps, reinventing a wheel or two, challenging the norms, I think I can still find my showstopper," Oliver writes.     Curious about his perspective? Read more to discover why nuance, collaboration, and a healthy dose of curiosity could be the key to unlocking AI’s true magic. https://lnkd.in/giMN6Chn   Escalent | C Space #Innovation #ArtificialIntelligence #MarketResearch #DataInsights #ResearchTools 

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In the Labour Party’s June 13 manifesto, the party committed to setting spending plans for the next decade, providing funding to research agencies like UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the UK's primary public science funder. Departing from the usual three-year budgeting cycle, the manifesto aims to foster long-term collaborations with industry to maintain the UK's leadership in global innovation. The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) promptly congratulated Keir Starmer and the Labour Party on their General Election victory. The ABPI's statement, released shortly after the election results, reflects industry optimism and support for the new government's initiatives. Find more details on the Labour Party's vision for the UK's life sciences sector in the post-election statement by ABPI: https://lnkd.in/eENH_sHJ. #LabourParty #UKRI #UKInnovation #ABPI #LifeSciencesSector #ResearchFunding #GlobalInnovation #IndustryPartnerships

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Looking forward to discussing how disinformation starts, the mechanisms through which it grows, and the very real "real world" consequences it can lead to with Shayoni Lynn FCIPR FPRCA CMPRCA 🧠 Join us on Monday 16th of September (for free!) 👇 👇 #Disinformation #behavioralscience #Communications

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Are there any public sector PMs, Service Designers or Delivery folks within my network? Keen to get a coffee ☕ Photo: the view from techUK conference earlier this week. Brilliant day with lots of insight from Government Digital Service, Ministry of Justice UK, Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and many more. #publicsector #productmanagement #servicedesign

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We call on all candidates and parties to prioritise the actions set out in our five key areas to accelerate action on economic growth. Our manifesto focuses on unlocking the opportunity that women’s enterprise represents and adding billions of pounds to the economy. Read the full manifesto here: https://lnkd.in/gxH9hyzT #addbillions #wesmanifesto

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Excellent workshop today re launch of #BMJ collection of articles on how research can address future health shocks. Was a pleasure to work with Michael Lawrie Mike Clemence at Ipsos UK on , alongside my colleagues RAND Europe and The Strategy Unit on a project looking at the future long term research agenda to support resilience, supported by The Health Foundation . Hope to be able to share some insights from this project soon. In the meantime, check out the BMJ collection: https://lnkd.in/eVADXgtC A few key insights that struck me today: - how essential it is to support interdisciplinary and cross sector research, but the system needs to be designed to enable genuine interdisciplinarity - how neglected research on the workforce is - how important it is not to isolate ourselves from international and also four nations learning. - how an engaged public is essential - how much we need to improve science to policy communication - the need for more evidence synthesis - bringing together what is known in user friendly and timely ways Individually the need for this is obvious. the solution to enabling it less so and in much need of further research and systems shaping...

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🎉 We're officially on G-Cloud 14! 🎉 Exciting news! Crowdfunder Connect is now available on the UK Government's G-Cloud 14 framework, making it even easier for public sector organisations to partner with us and revolutionise their grant-giving. Next Generation Grant Giving for Greater Impact We're democratizing the grant process, connecting public sector bodies with impactful grassroots projects that tackle society's biggest challenges. ➡️ Here's how we can help: 🙋‍♀️ Engage employees: Empower your staff to participate in the grant-making process and support causes they care about. 💡 Boost transparency: Provide complete transparency with real-time data and live match-funding, ensuring every contribution makes a visible difference. ⚡ Maximize social impact: Connect directly with projects and measure the tangible outcomes of your funding. ⛷ Streamline grant management: Access a user-friendly platform to manage your grant programs efficiently. 💯 Look Good by Doing Good with Crowd-Powered Solutions Crowdfunder Connect amplifies the power of funding by connecting communities, businesses, and the public sector, creating a ripple effect of positive change. Ready to explore how Crowdfunder Connect can transform your grant-giving? 👉 Visit our G-Cloud listing here [https://lnkd.in/dpJRp3W6] 👉 Or find out more here: www.crowdfunderconnect.com #GCloud13 #PublicSector #GrantFunding #SocialImpact #CommunityEngagement #Crowdfunding #CSR #Innovation💡 #PublicSector #SocialImpact #PositiveChange #HousingAssociations #LocalCouncil  👉 Contact us today to discuss your needs. Jason Nuttall Graeme Roy Su Johnston Simon Deverell

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The UK has a new national mission to deliver growth, and there is no other part of the economy that presents the potential that our university spinouts do. From AI to quantum computing and life sciences, these are companies at the forefront of high-growth sectors.    Today, we release our annual report on UK spinout investment, in collaboration with Beauhurst. Encouragingly, it signals an investment recovery for UK spinouts with £1bn raised in the first half of 2024 alone. A vital change in momentum after a challenging 2023.    The UK spinout ecosystem is proving resilient, and this report highlights that global investment continues to flow into UK spinouts at a great level. Key sectors like Life Sciences are also thriving with 210 deals completed from H2 2023 to H2 2024 - confirming the UK’s real international competitiveness in the sector.    Parkwalk remained the UK’s leading spinout investor in 2023. Together with IP Group plc, we invested in 40 spinouts throughout the UK’s university base, backing a fantastic array of scientific discoveries.   We’re proud to support science-based businesses and will continue to champion initiatives like the Enterprise Investment Scheme to drive the next wave of innovation.   Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/euhVTw9A

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Our emerging leaders programme is a key component of our Anthropy gathering. Bringing current leaders and future leaders together👏🏻

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Really interesting article on edie this morning. Is there a way the media industry can do this? When I was studying for the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) course I learnt how the coffee industry is using blockchain to ensure transparent supply chains from farmer to consumer. Can we do this in the media industry? Are companies already doing it? I think this would be something for tradeshows like IBC - International Broadcasting Convention to consider. #sustainability #transparency #supplychains #blockchain

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