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Log #8: Cancelled Flights

Reporting period: 02 June - 13 June, 2025

TL;DR: A strange start to the weekend; AI Knowledge Hub still going strong; Fun events; A bottomless brunch with lovely views;

I should have been sitting in Goa right now, enjoying some home-cooked food and chatting with my in-laws. Instead, I am at my desk in London, looking out the window and wondering how the day turned out like this.

It has been a strange few hours. First, the tragic news of the aircraft crash. Odd to think it was the same flight we were meant to be on, had it made it to London. Then, with Iranian airspace shut down, all Air India flights were grounded again. With four bookings cancelled in the last 24 hours, I am really hoping we will finally be able to fly out tomorrow.

The sudden change of plans has given me some unexpected time to pause and reflect on the past few days. Despite work feeling a bit scattered as I tried to tie up loose ends before the trip, it has actually been a good week.

After a wild and exciting month on the Knowledge Hub , I have finally returned to my day job. But the Hub still crowds my mind, with ideas for where it could go and how to make it better. The genuinely lovely and energising conversations I have been having with people actually using it now do not exactly help with stepping away either. The Hub continues to be a labour of love, even if it is now more of a side-of-desk effort. Lately, the focus has shifted slightly. From getting it shipped to thinking more strategically about what it could become. That is not to say we have not also been quietly working on some updates behind the scenes. These should hopefully be live soon.

Highlights from the past two weeks

Wednesday, 05 June

I attended the Cabinet Office event “Unlocking AI’s Potential in Organisations: Humans, Habits and Hidden Risks”, hosted by the team behind GCS Assist. It was lovely to see such a strong emphasis on user-centred design and thoughtful implementation.

The main takeaway: you can build the best tool in the world, but that is just the beginning. You also need to help people understand it, trust it, and use it well. Two statements really stayed with me:

  • “AI is not just a technical transformation. It is a social transition.”
  • “Access $\neq$ Adoption $\neq$ Good Use.”

The networking was great too. Met quite a few interesting people from various departments as well as the private sector. But the best bit of it was running into a colleague who I have been on numerous calls with but had never met in person.

Thursday, 06 June

I was kindly invited to the i.AI away day, and what a fun day it was. It felt nice to be in a relaxed setting with the people who have helped bring the Knowledge Hub to life. It also meant meeting new folks from across the team working on really interesting projects. Great conversations, and after-work drinks were just what I needed.

Sunday, 08 June

We treated ourselves to a bottomless brunch at Hutong at The Shard. Luckily, the weather had cleared up after the downpour the previous day. We got dressed up, took in the views over the city, and ate a lot of starters. Our favourites were the crispy prawn rolls and the scallop and prawn wontons.