A group of sixth-formers from Bermondsey got to brush shoulders with former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during an event about AI.
Sixth-formers at Harris Academy Bermondsey on Southwark Park Road were invited to an ‘AI tour’ hosted by Microsoft at the Excel Centre on Tuesday (24 February).
The highlight of the visit was a suprise meeting with former PM Rishi Sunak, who now works as a senior adviser at Microsoft.
He discussed AI with the pupils and answered some of their questions.
Over the course of the day they also heard speeches from Microsoft Global CEO Satya Nadella and Darren Hardman, CEO of Microsoft UK and Ireland.
Experts from companies such as Shure, Copilot and Azure gave them important insights on how to apply AI.
Harris Academy Bermondsey sixth-former Zaynab Ajayi said: “I hadn’t thought about all the uses of AI, but this event was very enlightening. I really enjoyed speaking to high-profile people and learning more about AI. It was an incredible opportunity.”
Another student, Haleema Kakar said: “I found it interesting meeting people from different firms and talking about AI in the workplace.”
Gizlé Landman, Principal at Harris Academy Bermondsey, said: “What a fantastic opportunity for our students. They were completely enthralled by all the AI demonstrations and were blown away by what they learned.
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“Speaking to so many professionals has fuelled their ambitions to enter the same sphere. It is great to see female students wanting to pursue careers in this field, and we will do all we can to support them.
“It was incredibly special for them to hear from both the Global CEO and the UK and Ireland CEO of Microsoft and then to meet Rishi Sunak. The students know how lucky they are to be given this opportunity and relished every moment of it!”
