On Thursday, 11 September, Scholars from Second Form to the Upper Sixth gathered for a Symposium led by Dr Richard Watson on the theme of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The Symposium brought together Scholars from different year groups to share their perspectives and explore their collective curiosity.
Dr Watson opened the session with a talk on ‘the what and the why of the future’, encouraging pupils to see AI not just as a set of tools, but as part of broader global shifts. He connected AI to major ‘megatrends’ – long-term forces like globalisation, environmental change, and digital transformation – highlighting its impact on how we will live and work in the future.
Immy (Fifth Form, Gascoigne) commented: ‘One of the most thought-provoking parts of the Symposium was when he discussed the ‘Perils of Prediction’. It was easy to assume that experts know exactly what’s coming, and Dr Watson showed how difficult it is to be certain about the future. Sometimes, predictions can be misleading if we rely on them too heavily. Instead, he encouraged us to stay curious, adaptable and ready to ask the right questions.’
Dr Watson had pupils fully immersed in this interactive lecture throughout, with activities that allowed them to form, change, and challenge their opinions on the subjects he spoke about. Third Form Scholar George (Third Form, Feilden) highlights this: ‘On the matter of pessimism and optimism, we expressed our thoughts about the future and whether we were optimistic or pessimistic about the next five to fifteen years. It was quite surprising to observe that the majority of Scholars were pessimistic and only a handful were optimistic. At the end of the Symposium, we returned to this activity, and it was interesting to see that the majority had changed their initial thoughts, shifting to optimism.’
Jolyon (Second Form, Gascoigne) and Imogen (Second Form, Queen Anne) shared their thoughts: ‘One of the highlights from our Symposium was the interactive activity, where Dr Watson used a grid taped to the floor to spark discussion about our views on the future. We were asked to stand in different squares depending on whether we thought the years ahead would be utopian or dystopian, optimistic or pessimistic – or, for some of us, a mix of both. This simple yet thought-provoking setup revealed that many Scholars held a rather pessimistic outlook. Dr Watson’s questions challenged us to reflect deeply and debate our choices, making the experience both memorable and exciting.
Immy summarises: ‘I came away from the Symposium feeling both excited and challenged. Excited, because AI clearly has the power to change so much in our world. Challenged, because it reminded me that, as a society, we have a responsibility to think critically and carefully about how it develops.’
