Next Sandpit
Thursday, 25 June 2026
Edinburgh
If you are interested in joining or would like further information, please use the link below.
“Don’t let anyone rob you of your imagination, creativity, or curiosity. It’s your place in the world; it’s your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live.”
Dr Mae Jemison, NASA Endeavour
The Challenge
The 2026/27 sandpits are part of The Impact of AI on Scientific Foresight project. Each sandpit is uniquely designed to help answer the latest call by the UK Metascience Unit, “to build our understanding of how the growing adoption of AI is changing the research landscape, including what epistemic, metascientific, ethical and socioeconomic questions this raises, and how governments, industry, and funding organisations should respond.”
What does “AI impact” look like?
Before we can claim impacts, we have to know what they could look like.
Impacts — whether from research, education, technological developments, or natural events — do not take a linear path and can reach into suprising spaces. These sandpits are collaborations with key external stakeholders and partners who represent valuable corners of our society, industries, charities, and government. Members are invited to provide ‘challenges’ that aid the prioritisation of understanding AI technological impacts across any number of pathways. Together, we are uniquely positioned to provide valuable answers to the scientific community and across industries.
AI Impact Report
Sandpits are 1 to 2 day intensive sessions with key stakeholders and partners guided by the overarching question: How can AI tools impact your industry?
To answer, we will engage a number of strategic foresight methods, such as wayfinding, impact mapping, blue sky scenario development, risk and uncertainty tracking, Delphi, and more. The outcomes of each sandpit will be interim impact reports for participating members to support ongoing developments, and a final AI Impact Report that will present the full breadth of insights generated across the sessions. The final report will be hosted through Edinburgh Napier University, credit each participant with a personal copy delivered to each member, and made publicly available to support broader use and developments.
Participating in a sandpit can help developments towards:
- large project bids (Horizon Europe, UKRI, WHO)
- smarter data structures
- feasibility studies
- pump priming
- pilot projects
- policy reports
- networking activities
- overseas visits
- knowledge exchange partnerships
Project updates will be shared through the FAR Hub and across our social channels. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter and follow us at any of the links below for updates and opportunities to collaborate.
You can also follow using the project tags: #FARvisions #ForesightAI #MetascienceAI
Generously funded and supported by:
In partnership with:
