When to use AI in creative work?

An in-person event at The Conduit.

Event Description

This event brings together a panel of creative professionals to debate one of 2026's biggest questions: when should you use AI in creative work?

AI is now part of daily work for journalists, marketing professionals, newsletter writers, and authors. Many use it for research. But more and more, it’s being used for writing as well.

But where’s the line between a creative aid and a shortcut that undermines the work itself?

It's now widely accepted that journalists can use AI for research and interview preparation. But should AI write their articles? Should newsletter writers get AI to turn notes into finished posts? Is it acceptable for a busy comms team to let AI draft press releases and LinkedIn updates? For authors, what's the difference between using AI to brainstorm ideas and relying on it to write paragraphs or even parts of chapters? And what about AI in music composition or art and design?

As AI-assisted work becomes more commonly used and harder to detect, many industries are being forced to compile new rules around creative work – without much consensus on what those rules should be.

This discussion event is being held in partnership with The Conduit.

Event Panel

• Babita Sharma (Chair) – Babita is a presenter, broadcaster and journalist with more than 20 years' experience at BBC World News, BBC Breakfast and BBC World Service. She has hosted the World AI Summit for five years, and is the author of The Corner Shop and the children's series The Adventures of Priya Mistry, with a new book on India's partition due July 2027.

• Keiran Goddard – Keiran is a novelist, poet, screenwriter and social theorist. His debut novel Hourglass was listed for the Desmond Elliott prize, and his second novel I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning has been adapted as a feature film. His third novel, Fill the World, will be published in late 2026.

• Madhumita Murgia – Madhumita is the AI Editor of the Financial Times, reporting globally on AI, surveillance and data privacy. Her book Code Dependent was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction in 2024 and translated into eight languages.

• Katie McPhee – Katie is the Founder of Expanded Future, helping organisations adopt AI responsibly. She is also the AI for Good Expert in Residence at The Conduit. Katie previously held leadership roles at the BBC, Eventbrite, VEED, and in 2023 co-founded the first climate/AI hackathon series, 'Earth AI'.

Event Schedule

6.00 pm: Pre-event socialising and networking

6.30 pm: Panel discussion begins

7.30 pm: Panel discussion ends

Networking drinks before and after the discussion event with a pay bar.