🚨 Welcoming Danny Quinn to DataFest. Having been with DataVita since the start, he helped it grow into Scotland’s largest, most energy-efficient data centre provider. He’ll discuss rising demand, growth zones, & the opportunity for Scotland to play a leading role. 🎟️: https://ow.ly/mMC050YC9LZ

Yesterday, we hosted an invite-only Business Breakfast bringing together senior AI, technology, & business leaders to explore a critical question: What’s missing in the global AI talent pool? Thank you to our fantastic speakers & to everyone who joined us & contributed to such an engaging session!

Dex Hunter-Torricke is joining us at DataFest! Dex has advised some of the most influential tech leaders & organisations, including Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Mark Zuckerberg & Elon Musk’s SpaceX, and previously led global comms & marketing at Google DeepMind. 🎟️: https://ow.ly/ZM4H50YB9zt

🌟Meet our alumni: Pablo Lopez Santori, Senior Data Engineer at FanDuel. He started his career as a chef before discovering a love for programming, which led him to our Masters Programme and an MSc in AI. Since, he’s worked in ML and data engineering, and has presented at tech meetups.

2 months to go until DataFest 2026! Join us for 2 days of world-class speakers, thought-provoking discussions, and networking opportunities across sectors and industries. Have you got your ticket yet? Don't miss out. 🎟️ https://datafest.global/tickets

It was a pleasure to host Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar MSP, Deputy Labour Leader Lucy Powell MP, and Daniel Johnson MSP yesterday at The Data Lab, Bayes Centre. A rare moment of sunshine providing a great photo opportunity on the terrace!

Great day at our All Innovation Centres Roadshow, bringing together Scotland’s Innovation Centres for a packed day of insight, collaboration and innovation - with contributions from Built Environment - Smarter Transformation, Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre, and IBioIC.

🎓 Fully-Funded MSc Scholarships 🎓 Looking to advance your career in data and AI? We offer fully-funded MSc scholarships at top universities across Scotland. Applications for the 2026/2027 academic year are now open - explore approved courses here: https://ow.ly/SEiE50Ymn6V

Scotland’s new AI Strategy and AI Scotland launched at @edfuturesinstitute.bsky.social, bringing together 180+ leaders across business, academia & public sector. A bold plan to unlock £23bn by 2035—driving jobs, innovation & responsible AI growth. Read more 👇 thedatalab.com/news/new-ai-...

🌟 Alumni Spotlight: Stella Telford, Data Analyst at Research Data Scotland Stella landed her job on graduation week, after finding the role on The Data Lab Community job board. She works on the ADR Programme, updating Scot Gov Education datasets & helping develop a Reproducible Analytical Pipeline.

We partnered with @interfaceonline.bsky.social on the Trailblazing AI Collaboration award at the Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards! Congrats to Red Star & @dundee.ac.uk-their AI heart failure platform identifies patients on outdated treatment, audits care against guidelines & supports optimisation

Delighted to share that we’ve been named finalists for 2 categories at the British Data Awards: • Climate Change Initiative of the Year - for the Data Viz Competition • Data Partnership of the Year - for our support on the Tide Breaker AI Accelerator Programme predatech.co.uk/british-data...

⏰ Round 3 applications close next Friday for our MSc Placement Programme! Scottish organisations — this is your opportunity to bring cutting-edge data and AI expertise into your operations. 📅 Submit your project proposal by 27 March 👉 [email protected] 🔗 https://ow.ly/Jt2U50YlNiA

DataFest 2026 is CPD-accredited, so the time you spend at the event can count towards your continuing professional development goals. And if you’re trying to make the case for an employer-funded ticket, being able to tie this to your development doesn’t hurt! 🎟️: https://ow.ly/JLT750Ywepu

Join us for "Building Insight at Scale: Supporting Smarter, Evidence‑Led Health & Social Care Services". Discover Seer, the NHS NSS platform that helps the public sector turn data into practical insight & better decisions. 🕐Online, 25 March, 1pm - 1:50pm 🔗: community.thedatalab.com/networks/eve...

Yesterday, Núria and Michelle delivered a sold-out session on “Human skills in a tech-driven future” at The CIPD in Scotland Conference in Edinburgh. Great energy in the room, with strong engagement and plenty of practical conversation about what upskilling really looks like in practice!

📣 Applications Now Open: Board Members We're seeking several new members for the board as existing members complete their tenure. We are seeking individuals from industry, the public & third sectors, universities & colleges. Find out more: thedatalab.com/about-us/car... ✉️ Apply by 6 April

⏳ Final call The survey exploring the potential for a Scotland-wide AI Cluster closes tomorrow. This is your chance to help influence what happens next for AI collaboration, innovation and growth in Scotland. Have your say today for a chance to win a £30 voucher: https://ow.ly/B6Gf50YlWAZ

We’re at the AI Standards Hub Global Summit 2026 in Glasgow today and tomorrow! Proud to be partners in this global conversation on building confidence in AI through standards, measurement, and assurance. If you’re attending, come say hello 👋

Great to welcome students from the MSc Business Analytics programme at @edinburghnapier.bsky.social last week. Hosted by Saleh and Vyron, it was a great opportunity to connect with students and share perspectives between industry and academia.

🌟 Student Spotlight: Karol Hetman, Software Engineer at Elementz Joined The Data Lab Academy in 2023 on an MSc AI scholarship. A placement with Elementz led to a full-time role. Now focused on backend dev & AI prototypes, building technical depth as the product evolves. 🔗 https://ow.ly/huYC50YlOuu

Busy week for The Data Lab at 3 great events on collaboration, innovation & international partnership. From the Cluster Showcase to Scotland–Denmark discussions on digital health, it was inspiring to hear how strong clusters & shared expertise can drive new connections and real impact. Futurescot

Thinking of asking AI to generate your next password? You might want to think again. Research has found that major AI models - including ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini - are producing highly predictable passwords with repeated patterns. Read the full article here: https://ow.ly/219V50YlOoB

🚨 New speaker Rachel Adams — Executive Director at @cfi-cambridge.bsky.social (University of Cambridge) and Founding CEO of the Global Centre on AI Governance — is joining DataFest. An expert on AI governance and global inequality, and author of The New Empire of AI. 🎟 https://ow.ly/VTLq50YsNU5

AI is transforming how we work and live. Rather than chasing global AI superpowers, Scotland can take its own path — building AI responsibly for public benefit, sustainability & inclusive growth. Adam, our Head of Innovation, explores this in his blog for Interface. 🔗: https://ow.ly/50S850YlOkQ

📣 We have fully funded scholarships available for MSc Applied Business Analytics at GCU (May start). This will teach you skills in data analytics, visualisation & programming, & practical business skills such as leadership & problem-solving. https://ow.ly/OoJM50YlYWj https://ow.ly/rJxC50YlYWn

🌟 Student Spotlight: Ebere Patricia Joined our MSc Business Analytics in 2023 on a fully funded scholarship to study at Robert Gordon University. Now a Business & Data Analyst, she’s using analytics to solve real business challenges — & preparing to step into a UK public sector Data Manager role.

AI is already a key enabling technology for Scotland, driving innovation, productivity & inclusive economic growth. We’re exploring whether an AI cluster could strengthen collaboration & scale impact. Have your say for a chance to win a £30 voucher. Closes 18 Mar: https://ow.ly/2U5U50YlWuf

⏰PhD Research Internship – Applications Close Monday! We're offering a research internship on: A Comparative Study of Digital Skills Frameworks to Support the Innovation Economy in Scotland. 📅 3 months FT or 6 months PT (hybrid) ⏰ Apply by 4 pm, Monday 9 March 🔗 https://ow.ly/wt2K50YlNmY

📢 Calling Scottish organisations! Looking to harness data & AI but need the right expertise? Through our Student Placement Programme, we connect businesses with top MSc data & AI students for short-term projects. 🗓️ Apply by 27 March. 📩 Contact [email protected] 🔗 https://ow.ly/w31950YlOAy

🌟Student spotlight: Janek Dyer, Student Planner at Scot Gov. Janek joined The Data Lab Academy in 2024, when he started his MSc in Applied AI and UX. He’s now on the Future Planners Programme, creating accessible technical solutions to help planners work with big data. https://ow.ly/9Xew50YlN7V

Last weekend, we were proud to sponsor the #RGUHack at Robert Gordon University#RGUHack For 24 hours, students from across disciplines rolled up their sleeves, took on real-world challenges and built impressive solutions under pressure. To every team that took on the challenge: you were brilliant!

SGSSS Summer Internships 2026 – Applications Open! 🌟𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐛 @thedatalab.bsky.social is Scotland’s Innovation Centre for Data and AI. Their vision is to foster a more prosperous and equitable society where the responsible use of data and AI empowers everyone to thrive.

🎙️ Why do so many promising innovations never make it beyond the pilot stage? Our Head of Skills, Anna, joins Gavin (BE-ST), Liz (Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre), and Janette (DHI) to explore what it takes to move innovation from idea to adoption. 🎧 Watch: https://ow.ly/wzrO50YlLBt

🚨 DataFest speaker announcement: Dr. Julia Stamm Award-winning founder of She Shapes AI, Julia is on a mission to ensure that technology is shaped by diverse voices and designed to solve real-world problems. 🎟️Ticket prices rise tomorrow at 11:30 PM: https://ow.ly/pM3C50YmnkT

DataFest 2026 is fast approaching... Join us for 2 days of world-class speakers, thought-provoking discussions, and networking opportunities across sectors and industries. Have you secured your ticket yet? Prices go up on Tuesday at 11:30 PM! 🎟️ https://ow.ly/eEjs50YkT1w

🚨 DataFest speaker: Colin Ife Head of AI Risk at Geordie AI, Colin has deep expertise in data-driven threat protection, ML infrastructure, & AI strategy. His work bridges cutting-edge research and real-world security impact. Ticket prices rise Tues: https://ow.ly/EUvF50Ymjlu

🚨 Extension The survey exploring the potential for a Scotland-wide AI Cluster now closes 18 March. This is your chance to help influence what happens next for AI collaboration, innovation & growth. Have your say for a chance to win one of three £30 vouchers: https://ow.ly/1JmO50Y4MH2

New data centre projects in the UK could require more electricity than the country’s current peak demand. Around 140 proposed schemes could require up to 50GW of power, raising questions about grid capacity, decarbonisation targets and infrastructure planning. 🔗 https://ow.ly/eBhc50Yl4Pu

🚀 An intro to AI and its opportunities Designed for leaders in SMEs or social enterprises, this online session will help you build awareness & leadership capacity around adopting AI. Explore trends, risks, & practical opportunities to grow. 🗓️ 4 March (10-11AM) 🔗: https://ow.ly/qAux50Y4M7b

🎙️ Behind the scenes recording the CLIC podcast series where Anna had a fantastic time contributing to 3 episodes! Pictured with Anna: Janette (Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre) Gavin (Built Environment - Smarter Transformation) and Liz (iBoC). Watch episode 1 here: https://ow.ly/PpIx50Yi01b

⏰ Deadline next Friday! Organisations have just 7 days left to submit project proposals for our Student Placement Programme. Whether you're exploring data visualisation, predictive analytics or AI-driven solutions, we can help. 📅 27 Feb 👉 [email protected] https://ow.ly/E51950Y4LY0

📢 PhD Research Opportunity The Data Lab is offering a research internship: A Comparative Study of Digital Skills Frameworks to Support Scotland’s Innovation Economy. ⏳ 3 months FT / 6 months PT (hybrid) 🗓 Apply by 4 pm, 9 March More info: www.sgsss.ac.uk/internship/a...

Optimising Data Reporting for Foster Care Recruitment: From Paid Media to Placement Join us to learn how paid media data and fostering service data can be used to support service improvements in foster care. 🗓️ 25 Feb ⏰ 13:00 - 13:50 👉 Register for free here: https://ow.ly/EmkX50Y4LTa

🚨 We're excited to welcome Amanda Brock (CEO, OpenUK) to the DataFest lineup! With 25+ years' experience shaping open source and internet law, Amanda is a recognised global voice on open technology and a champion of open source and open infrastructure. Tickets here: https://ow.ly/KHUL50YhtiN

Scottish councils are pulling ahead of the rest of the UK in their data maturity and AI readiness, according to a study by @heriotwattuni.bsky.social, with 70% of our local authorities achieving moderate or high readiness. Read more from @digitfyi.bsky.social here: www.digit.fyi/scottish-cou...

⏰ Reminder! Our survey exploring the case for a Scotland-wide AI Cluster is open - but not for much longer. If you work with AI or are interested in shaping its future, we want your views. Take part before it closes on 28 Feb for a chance to win one of three £30 vouchers: https://ow.ly/8myJ50Y4KKw

Join us for a webinar: From Blank Page to Comms Campaign in Under 30 Mins. Learn how to build a structured campaign using AI & learn how strategy, messaging, & channel thinking can be developed quickly when AI is used with the right structure. 🗓️ 18 Feb, 12:30-13:30 👉: https://ow.ly/nXA550Y4qaE

Are you ready to partner with the next generation of talent? 🧑‍🎓 Whether you’re in need of additional resource, or looking to add data-driven knowledge into your business, our MSc Placement Programme can help. 📅 Submit your proposal by 27 Feb 👉 [email protected] https://ow.ly/ppay50Y4pSZ

📢 Exhibit at DataFest 2026! The DataFest exhibition is where Scotland’s data & AI ecosystem comes to life. Over 2 days, showcase your products, services, & ideas directly to 600+ delegates from across industry, academia, &the public sector. Find out more here: https://datafest.global/exhibitors