Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

In episode 6, Associate Fellow Carrie Lomas and Professor Marc Ventresca, discuss how technology is more than tools; it’s a bundle of possibilities. How we shape, combine, and apply these possibilities defines the impact they can have. While many large organizations struggle to adapt, we should focus on creating innovation that goes beyond the tech itself. By connecting people, ideas, and smart design, we turn emerging technologies into meaningful, human-centered solutions.

Join us for a thought-provoking Oxford Tea Talks episode as AI governance experts Matthias Holweg and Uthman Ali unpack one of the most pressing questions of our time: Can AI ever truly be unbiased? Dive into a rich conversation exploring the foundations of AI safety, responsible AI, fairness, governance frameworks, regulatory challenges, and the rapidly evolving risks and opportunities surrounding powerful AI systems. From real-world examples of bias and discrimination to the emerging world of neuro-rights, agency, and AGI futures, this discussion sheds light on how businesses and society can navigate innovation responsibly. Whether you're an AI practitioner, policymaker, or simply curious about the future of technology, this episode offers deep insights into how we can build safer, more trustworthy AI.

In this episode of Oxford Tea Talks, Oxford Saïd’s Professor Kejia Hu joins Vanderbilt’s Professor Eric Johnson to discuss one of today’s most pressing questions: Will AI replace us, or redefine us? Together, they explore how artificial intelligence is transforming business, education, and society, from automation and personalisation to entirely new forms of innovation. Professor Hu shares her framework for the four levels of AI-driven transformation, revealing how AI can augment human potential rather than eliminate it.

As the world gathers for COP30 in Belém, Brazil, this special episode of Tea Talks asks a bold question: Can business heal the planet? Can a business truly become a force for regeneration — not just sustainability? In this episode of Tea Talks, Charmian Love, Chief International Advocacy Officer at Natura and Executive in Residence at Oxford Saïd, sits down with Ines Francke, Sustainability Senior Manager at Natura Cosmetics, to explore what it means for business to heal the planet rather than harm it. This conversation invites leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers to rethink business as a living system that restores rather than depletes — proving that regeneration is possible, practical, and powerful.

How do leaders thrive amid uncertainty? In this thought-provoking conversation, Saul Betmead de Chasteigner, joins Mark Clark to explore what happens when confidence meets humility — and why certainty can be leadership’s most dangerous illusion. Drawing on their diverse experiences, from the United Nations and global peacebuilding to creative industries and corporate strategy, Saul and Mark unpack how leadership evolves when complexity, conflict, and ambiguity become the norm. Key themes include: - Why certainty can destroy collaboration and unity - Adaptive leadership in complex, fast-changing systems - Lessons from peacebuilding and negotiation for business leaders - The psychology of ambiguity and the human need for control - Balancing authority with empathy and curiosity - How AI transformation challenges our assumptions about leadership Rooted in lived experience and academic insight, this conversation reveals how effective leadership today depends less on having the answers — and more on holding space for dialogue, reflection, and creative uncertainty. “Certainty is the great enemy of unity, the deadly enemy of tolerance.” — The Conclave