AI in Local Government Fair
First-of-its-kind “challenge fair” connects council staff with university researchers to tackle real-world problems in AI for public services.
AI in Local Government Fair
Local government staff will have the chance to find academic partners who can help them use AI to tackle their biggest operational challenges at a new event this November.
ai@cam’s new AI in local government fair, held on the 24th November, flips the traditional conference model: instead of researchers presenting their work, council staff will present their biggest operational challenges and ideas for how AI might help address them.
As councils increasingly look to artificial intelligence to improve services and meet rising demand, the AI in local government fair will connect the frontline knowledge of local authorities with Cambridge’s research expertise. By spotlighting real pressures faced by councils – from social care paperwork to planning backlogs and transport congestion – the fair creates a two-way marketplace, designed to explore how AI could provide practical solutions.
How it works
The AI in local government fair brings together council staff from across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, and Greater Manchester with University of Cambridge AI researchers. Local government teams will showcase posters outlining challenges where AI could make a difference - from streamlining social care documentation to optimising transport routes to processing planning applications.
Researchers will browse the challenge presentations in a “reverse” poster session, leading to informal discussions and potential collaborations. Promising collaborations from the poster session will then be eligible for ai@cam’s AI for Local Government Accelerator funding programme, launching later this year to support proof-of-concept development.
The AI in local government fair creates a two-way marketplace: council staff will showcase challenge posters outlining where AI could make a difference, while University researchers will provide profiles of their expertise and research interests via the event registration process. This dual approach ensures council staff can identify researchers with relevant capabilities, while researchers can spot challenges that align with their technical skills and research goals.
Want to apply?
The AI in Local Government Challenge Fair takes place on Monday 24 November 2025, from 12.00-16.00
Council staff and University of Cambridge researchers interested in participating will need to apply before 17:00 on Friday 14 November.
If you have any further questions, please contact Jess Montgomery (jkm40@cam.ac.uk)
Frequently Asked Questions
Unlike traditional academic conferences where researchers present their work, council staff will present their operational challenges and ideas for AI solutions. University researchers will browse these challenge presentations to find collaboration opportunities.
Any public service challenge where AI might help - from reducing social care paperwork and processing planning applications to optimising transport routes and improving customer services. We’re particularly interested in challenges that could benefit multiple councils if solved.
Local council staff from Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, and Greater Manchester, plus University of Cambridge researchers with AI expertise. Council staff don’t need technical AI knowledge - domain expertise in public services is what we’re looking for.
University - council partnerships will be eligible for dedicated funding in our second phase to develop proof-of-concept solutions. We’ll provide structured follow-up to help promising collaborations move forward.
Not at all. We want people who understand the real operational challenges councils face.
- The specific challenge you’re facing
- Why current approaches aren’t working
- Your ideas (even rough ones) for how AI might help
- The potential impact if this problem were solved
- Any relevant data or context about scale
4 hours (12:00-16:00) including lunch and refreshments. This gives time for meaningful conversations rather than rushed presentations.
Later this year, ai@cam will be launching its AI for Local Government Accelerator, which will invite applications for funding and incubator-style support for collaborative projects between the University and local government.
While we welcome poster presentations from all participating councils, we anticipate that our AI for Local Government Accelerator funding programme will be held by University of Cambridge researchers. However, solutions developed could potentially benefit councils across all participating regions, and we anticipate that all funding proposals should include at least one council partner. Full guidance on this will be published after the poster session.
The session itself provides valuable networking and learning opportunities. Many councils find that discussing their challenges with researchers generates new insights even without formal collaboration.
If you’re dealing with large volumes of data, repetitive tasks, pattern recognition needs, or complex decision support - AI might help.
Absolutely. We encourage this where it makes sense - shared challenges often lead to more impactful and sustainable solutions.
Create your poster in A0 portrait format (841mm x 1189mm) using software like PowerPoint, Canva, or Google Slides. We can print it for you if you email the PDF to contact@ai.cam.ac.uk by 17:00 on Friday 14 November, or you can arrange your own printing (allow 2-3 working days).
For effective posters: use a clear, bold title; organise content logically with digestible sections; stick to 2-3 complementary colours and clean fonts; include visuals like charts or diagrams; use bullet points and avoid jargon; and include your contact details.
Complete the registration form here by Friday 14 November.
For posters, we can print it for you if you email the PDF to contact@ai.cam.ac.uk by 17:00 on Friday 14 November, or you can arrange your own printing (allow 2-3 working days).