Helen Margetts

Jazzer and ketamine - but he seems fine now and ketamine has got fashionable (in those days it was a horse drug that caused potentially longlasting cognitive problems)

So did I, but why wasn’t he at the funeral?

The audience have won #bbcqt

Why AI needs social science | British Politics and Policy at LSE AI is about humans, that's why it needs to be shaped not just by computer science, but by social science.

AI needs social science. Cosmina Dorobantu and I explain why in a new blog post @lsedatascience.bsky.social @oii.ox.ac.uk blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandp...

"The Risk of Inequity is Always There, Wherever You've Got AI": Interview with Helen Margetts Anya Pearson interviews Helen Margetts on the relationship between digital technology and government, politics and public policy.

"The risk of inequity is always there, wherever you've got AI"

Anya Pearson asks @helenmargetts.bsky.social, Professor of Society and the Internet at the Oxford Internet Institute, about digital government and the opportunities and challenges of AI.

Why AI needs social science | British Politics and Policy at LSE AI is about humans, that's why it needs to be shaped not just by computer science, but by social science.

AI needs social science. Cosmina Dorobantu and I explain why in a new blog post @lsedatascience.bsky.social @oii.ox.ac.uk blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandp...

'From passports to policymaking: where AI can boost the public sector' - LabourList The public sector in the UK employs almost six million people. The sheer size means that, in theory, the scope for benefits from AI-driven innovation is huge.

What can AI do for policy making and public services? Cosmina Dorobantu and I @oii.ox.ac.uk forward key possibilities in this new blog - great to be at the Labour Party Conference to discuss @lsedatascience.bsky.social @labourlist.bsky.social labourlist.org/2025/08/arti...

Nigel Farage uses private company to pay less tax on GB News earnings Exclusive: Reform leader’s use of personal services firm is a practice criticised across the political spectrum

This is a huge story.

Don't let him get away with it.

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Colorado bear uses handle to open door to house 'Bears can open doors' writes the Colorado Parks and Wildlife's Southwest Region, providing footage to prove it and adding, 'it can lead to a lot of conflict'.

We’re bears, Margaret, not drunks

news.sky.com/video/colora...

New paper alert! ‘The levers of political persuasion with conversational AI’, lead author @kobihackenburg.bsky.social co-author @helenmargetts.bsky.social @oii.ox.ac.uk @socsci.ox.ac.uk @ox.ac.uk.

I am so proud of the brilliant @oii.ox.ac.uk DPhil @kobihackenburg.bsky.social and this wonderful “bees-knees” paper on conversational AI and political persuasion @AISecurityInst - it is a “must-read”, comments welcome!

I thought they were skeets?

Yes, but is that the only cancer - 26(ish) years ago? Statistically, in comparison with heart attacks - does it stand up?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is predicted to transform many aspects of our lives in the coming years. One of these is the functioning of the democratic syste... AI and democracy

Earlier today, we hosted Danielle Allen, @helenmargetts.bsky.social and @ciaranm.bsky.social to discuss how AI could affect democracy.

Watch a recording of the event 👇

A Northern Saw-whet Owl, perched on a snow-covered branch in a close-up view. The owl has large, bright yellow eyes and mottled brown and white feathers, blending into the snowy background.

Those big, beautiful eyes! A tiny owl braving the winter snow, perfectly camouflaged in its snowy perch. Nature's little marvel.
📸 mon_regard_sur_la_nature

AI and democracy An expert panel discusses how the rise of artificial intelligence could change democracy in the coming years.

How could AI affect democracy? Are there opportunities as well as dangers? And how should policy-makers respond?

On 15 May, our star-studded panel made up of Danielle Allen, @helenmargetts.bsky.social and @ciaranm.bsky.social will discuss just this.

Sign up for this free, online event 👇

I just want to tip my hat to the crack team of White House economists who were able to discover--in just a few short days--that the U.S. is dependent on China for smartphones, computers and semiconductors.

If you are posting about migrants applying for visas, why would you use a stock photo of people arriving on small boats, clearly without visas? Come on guys. This is beneath you.

I wasn’t late 😃

Just to be right? I had better factor that in 😵‍💫

This morning my phone asked me insistently whether I wanted to send a ‘running late’ message to the person I am meeting at lunch time tomorrow. Is that predictive capability - will I be late? Or is it a sign that the age of useful agentification is not quite here?

A lovely two days @wepsocial.bsky.social Anniversary Workshop, thank you everyone!

Where is Usha? They need some legal advice?

📈Out today in @PNASNews!📈

In a large pre-registered experiment (n=25,982), we find evidence that scaling the size of LLMs yields sharply diminishing persuasive returns for static political messages. 

🧵:

Ask the Experts: can we trust AI? 25 March at 18.30

Image of head with disembodied faces

Don’t know your DeepMind from your DeepSeek? I’m chairing this upcoming ‘Ask the Experts’ event on AI featuring @amoorelouise.bsky.social, @helenmargetts.bsky.social & Giles Pavey. In person tix all gone but you can still register online
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/events/the-a...

It was great fun making this podcast with @uclspp.bsky.social @conunitucl.bsky.social ‘s Alan Renwick @dorobantu.bsky.social & Jonathan Bright talking about our work at the Alan Turing Institute and @oii.ox.ac.uk

UCL Uncovering Politics Politics Podcast · 14 Seasons · Updated fortnightly

We've partnered with @ucl.ac.uk @uclpolicylab.bsky.social for this exciting new episode on AI and Public Services, with
@helenmargetts.bsky.social, Cosima Dorobantu and Jonathan Bright.

Listen on apple podcasts (or other podcast platforms!)

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/u...

@ox.ac.uk

Session on Public Interest AI at the Paris AI Action Summit

So grateful for @abeba.bsky.social on stage at the AI Action Summit, challenging us to be honest about the fact that we’re moving backward, not forward toward a shared social contract as Big Tech have now walked back nearly every voluntary commitment they once made to be responsible social actors.

Make a change in our society with Make.org - Finding proposals is easier when working together. Make.org helps you share ideas with forward-thinking people like you. Discover a democratic place where you can discuss the big issues you care about...

Taiwan digital minister @audreyt.org argues that competence should replace digital literacy when tackling disinformation and deepfakes - great panel on AI and Democracy at make.org welcome event to AI Action Summit in Paris