Birmingham Tech Week 2025: The Festival Highlights

I have attended a family of events as part of Birmingham Tech Week.
This was my first ever visit. Not just because of the expectation of using artificial intelligence but I wanted to explore a variety of insights and perspectives.

I did not attend every single event but I was selected for the specific events to gain knowledge of certain aspects.
The locations I attended include Birmingham Conference and Event Centre, international Convention Centre around the city centre along with The Steam House at the east side of Central Birmingham

Panel discussions
Examples on some of the panel discussions includes;
Unleashing your tech superpower
This is related to embracing opportunities from neurodiversity
It started with a video from a son of one of the guests and the transformation on how their difficulties affected him and he was embraced into potential opportunities into the future.

 Some of points addressed include how business has not approaching neurodiversity appropriately and how managers must incorporate inclusivity as the best way forward. Also to make sure any changes of the business approach and strategy does not discriminate against a neurodivergent in the recruitment process (including surveillance monitoring during job interviews and unplanned rapid fire questions. Some of the positive ideas addressed includes work trials).

From hype to hands on
This is relating to confidence for small and medium businesses to access artificial intelligence with confidence.

Examples of expressions made from the panelist
It is about doing some experimenting and to learn from any mistakes as a way of driving change of innovation. Making sure that the data that is used for artificial intelligence must be of high quality, an important factor to improve efficiency. However not all pilot projects using artificial intelligence will be successful. One of the common causes include lack of skills and leadership of understanding beyond generative AI.

Other comments include it is not about if you are using artificial intelligence or not, but instead how AI is used alongside other aspects.

Partnership and collaboration is the best approach for developing and using artificial intelligence.

Having technical skills in AI will not be enough and being disconnected and having little or no connections can lead to failure.

Presentation talk
I also watched a presentation talk from Martin Sadler, the Director of Digital & Technology services at Birmingham City Council
He provided some advice or guidance especially those who are starting up from an enterprise idea.
Making strong evaluations are essential using a presented system on what you can do and what you can't do. This is related to what you are good at & what not good at. The decisions can be made to prioritise strategies for the short, media and long term. However, listening and developing solutions must be what people need.

Meeting with Dan Harris for the first time

Through my awareness background on neurodiversity it was an honor to meet Dan Harris the CEO of Neurodiversity in Business, a very important icon that is not only spreading the word but also challenging close minds and stigmatizing perceptions. In the past few years Dan has spread to word of neurodiversity with different aspects of society. Not just in the business community but also with the national government and with parliament.

Conclusion
The event reinforces some of the points I am aware of beforehand, this is especially related to artificial intelligence. However the greatest information is about the importance of connectivity and developing working partnerships including collaboration. Being disconnected does not improve your prospects no matter how technically skilled you are on artificial intelligence. Special thanks to Naomi and her team for providing the family of events

Personal experience as a neurodivergent
Despite the event being positive with its objective there were many people who were either attending or some people at the exhibition stand we were unfairly ableist. This includes trying to interfere on the spot or rush me inappropriately which can be very embarrassing and humiliating. Also some people inappropriately shun me where I am sharing my development. Despite the fact that I disclose myself as a neurodivergent, various business leaders do not do enough to make reasonable allowances. This can destroy any confidence of a neurodivergent person who is ambitious and talented. Business & organisations C.E.O'S, staff and leaders need to stop reacting inappropriately and instead have an open mind and listen better.