AI is not just a technological shift; it is a societal one. AI adoption is accelerating - but mostly happening reactively, outside organisational planning or governance. That creates risks, because the way we adapt to AI today will lock in the habits of tomorrow.

Old policy methods struggle with today’s complex challenges. Learn how flexible, iterative ‘test and learn’ approaches help governments reduce risk, adapt fast, and deliver impactful public services with @bitglobal.bsky.social's new course. 🔗 Book your place now: https://bit.ly/463YRQg

The rise of conversational AI has created a giant real-world experiment in human-machine relationships. For the first time, we are not just using AI as a tool; we are interacting with it, confiding in it, and being influenced by it in ways we are only beginning to understand.

Most generative AI models are skilled fast thinkers – but they also inherit some of the same biases as human intuition. For AI to advance, developers need to design systems that reliably choose when to think fast or think slow - adapting their approach to the task at hand.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in person and online for #PolicyLive! More than 400 guests joined us in Westminster to explore how to do policy differently and solve the UK's most pressing challenges. 🎥 Watch back a selection of our sessions now: https://www.policylive.org/nesta/332/82846

Why do people choose to use or resist AI? The first chapter in our new four-part framework - AI & human behaviour - looks at what drives or holds back AI adoption, and how leaders can encourage deep integration of AI that complements and enhances human work. bit.ly/46hqWm8

Policy Live is back for 2025: and registration is now open 🎉 Join us on 11 Sept in central London for our full-day programme: with over 60 speakers exploring how to do policy differently - including Wes Streeting, Nicola Sturgeon and more. Tickets are limited, apply now: bit.ly/4m0j4fx

📱 Why does 'just 5 mins' on social media turn into an hour? Our behavioural audit for @ofcom.bsky.social found major platforms use design to maximise engagement—often at the cost of user well-being. Here’s how better design could support healthier, more intentional online habits 👇 bit.ly/4kKu3rL

Policing today is about more than enforcement – it’s about prevention, early action and building trust. We worked with officers and staff at @cheshirepolice.bsky.social to explore how behavioural insights can improve everyday decision-making and service delivery. Read more: bit.ly/44rc2Zu

🎧 New BIT podcast: How do social norms shift and what role can behavioural science play? Recorded live at #BX2025 in Abu Dhabi, our Chief Behavioural Scientist @mhallsworth.bsky.social speaks with global experts on what drives change in societies, systems & institutions. ⬇️ Tune in: bit.ly/4ltzbkU

🚨 We're hiring! We're looking for a Senior Research Advisor to join our Economic Policy team in the UK. We’re looking for someone with strong quantitative skills and a passion for using evidence to help people make better decisions. 👇 Find out more and apply by 14 July: bit.ly/4k2pRmU

What sets successful nations apart? Earlier this year Nobel Prize-winning economist Professor James Robinson joined us to share his insights on how inclusive political institutions and innovation drive sustainable economic growth. 🎧 Listen now on the BIT podcast: bit.ly/4kB9eQc

🇹🇯 Behavioural science to address malnutrition UNICEF Tajikistan partnered with BIT to develop a social and behaviour change strategy to help mothers adopt recommended breastfeeding and dietary practices. See our solutions and messaging👇 bit.ly/45IaUTo

⚽ What are young people's gambling-related experiences during major sports events? During Euro 2024, BIT partnered with young people to explore how gambling impacts their tournament experience and what influences their behaviour. Here's what we found: bit.ly/3ZGCBbs

How do friendships affect social mobility. I wrote in @financialtimes.com about research from BIT colleagues replicating Raj Chetty's US work analysing facebook data. Perhaps the department with communities in its name can run trials on cross-class interaction, and reducing 'friending bias'.

📣 New event: Science, psychedelics, and society Join Nesta’s @raviguru.bsky.social and @ikhan.bsky.social‬, former Exec Director of the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics, as they unpack the science, politics & future of psychedelics. Register now: bit.ly/43BgwNP

🎧 New podcast: How is AI creating new ways to apply behavioural science? Recorded live at #BX2025, @mhallsworth.bsky.social explores the next frontier of the field with some of its most innovative practitioners. 🎙️ Listen here: bit.ly/4mkfbmd

New paper: Fixing the Holes in Economics Ahead of BIT’s inaugural President’s Lecture, David Halpern explores how behavioural and institutional insights are challenging economic models - and how this could reshape policymaking. Read the full paper: bit.ly/430ireS

New case study: combatting corruption in Nigeria ⚖️ BIT, @macfound.org and Griot Studios trained 40+ Nigerian orgs in behavioural science and user testing to enhance anti-corruption efforts. Read the case study 👇 bit.ly/4j8q8Ez

As intuitive as it seems, creating a complicated approach may not be the best response to complexity. @mhallsworth.bsky.social writes about the value of simplicity in applied behavioural science - in a world wrestling with personalisation, generative AI and complex adaptive systems 👇 bit.ly/4j2joIn

🚨New paper in Nature: Clearer language boosts public understanding of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In a trial with 4,000+ UK adults, phrases like 'antibiotic resistance' and 'antibiotic crisis' outperformed technical terms–improving understanding and intent to act. 🔗 go.nature.com/3YmM4nY

Malaria vaccines could save millions of lives across Sub-Saharan Africa – but rollout success depends on more than supply. Uptake is key. At BIT, we’ve used behavioural science to boost vaccine uptake worldwide. For #WorldImmunizationWeek, we explore how it can help here too: bit.ly/4lQaoII

💉For #WorldImmunizationWeek BIT's @mowills.bsky.social shares why the last mile of vaccine delivery matters more than ever. At BIT, we use behavioural science to help partners boost uptake and impact. Read how we can make every dose count ⬇️ bit.ly/3RzzrSG

The UK govt needs to adopt a different way of working to achieve its bold new missions. Policies need to be reviewed and improved via a test and learn approach. BIT + @nestauk.bsky.social new playbook explains this approach and how it can deliver impactful solutions 👇 www.bi.team/publications...

Join us for the next event in our series with @bitglobal.bsky.social: how to make good things happen 📍 We're looking to Little Scandanavia - a US prison unit harnessing Scandinavian practices to reduce re-offending. Hear from those who led the scheme and gather insights for the UK. bit.ly/42OYXZp

New case study: tripling vaccination uptake 💉 BIT and the government of Argentina developed an interactive WhatsApp chatbot to encourage Covid-19 boosters that led to: 🔹 3x vaccination rates 🔹 1,700+ more doses in 4 weeks Read the case study 👇 bit.ly/4igocJK

I'm hiring 📢 We want a Group Media Officer to join the award-winning comms team for @nestauk.bsky.social and @bitglobal.bsky.social. Looking for someone with experience in a busy press office. If you are interested or know someone who would be, do share or apply! www.nesta.org.uk/jobs/group-m...

New BIT study with @alcoholchangeuk.bsky.social links ‘low risk’ drinking to higher rates of heart disease, cancer, poor sleep, reduced functioning, and dental issues: alcoholchange.org.uk/blog/the-mes...

🚀 Upcoming event Join BIT’s founder Professor David Halpern, as he shares the top 10 behavioural interventions he believes could transform the world. Chaired by @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social expect bold ideas and an exploration of the future of applied behavioural science. Register: bit.ly/43DIkSu

🗣️ Make behavioural science participatory Too often, experts design interventions for people, not with them. But participation - through consultation, co-design & co-creation - drives better outcomes. @mhallsworth.bsky.social explores why this matters in our final Big Shifts piece: bit.ly/3QZHo3g

New UK study by @bitglobal.bsky.social+ partners reveals that friendships across socioeconomic lines have a strong relationship with future earnings and social mobility: bit.ly/4hGBQp6 Nesta Group CEO @raviguru.bsky.social dives into the data in his latest Substack ⬇️

How can behavioral science help regulate US sports betting? 🏀 BIT's experts view sports betting as a consumer issue through the lens of behavioral science, raising fresh questions for regulators. A must-read this March Madness: www.bi.team/comment/how-...

📣 New research on six billion UK friendships highlights the link between social capital & social mobility. A major study shows that children who grow up in areas with a greater mix of income levels earn around an extra £5,000 per year as adults. Read more 👇 ow.ly/RweJ50VncN3

New UK study reveals that friendships across socioeconomic lines have a strong relationship with future earnings and social mobility. Children who grow up in areas with mixing between income groups earn around £5,000 more per year as adults. www.bi.team/publications...

New case study: How AI is supercharging scams 🤖 BIT Canada & the Ontario Securities Commission researched the latest trends in AI-enhanced online scams and found that: 🔹 People invested 10% more in AI-driven scams. 🔹 A browser plug-in cut fraudulent investments by 15%. Read more: bit.ly/4hrZQMG

What does fair and transparent gambling mean to consumers? Our Gambling Policy and Research Unit asked consumers what fairness should look like - their insights that could shape future regulation. Read the report: bit.ly/4byvGpJ

🏙️ Are you excited about shaping the future of European cities through innovation? @nestauk.bsky.social and @bitglobal.bsky.social are looking for skilled innovation leaders and experts across the UK region to help tackle complex challenges in cities. Express your interest: bit.ly/4kwoVc7

💰 Could behavioural science boost pension savings? Despite auto-enrolment, many UK employees still don’t save enough for retirement. Why? Most stick to default rates -even if they’re too low. BIT's @ruthpe.bsky.social dives into the barriers and solutions: bit.ly/3DMGsMo

⚡ Scaling behavioural interventions: beating the voltage effect Interventions often lose impact when scaled. How can we prevent this? We teamed up with @theeef.bsky.social to scale an intervention in primary schools - from 89 to 170 schools while keeping its impact. 👇 Find out how bit.ly/3R0sBFd

Are you excited about shaping the future of European cities through innovation? @bitglobal.bsky.social and @nestauk.bsky.social are looking for skilled innovation leaders and experts across the UK region to help tackle complex challenges in cities. ⬇️ Express your interest: bit.ly/4btI8H4

📢 How can we reduce administrative burden? Join us on 4 March to explore how civil servants in the US and beyond can improve service delivery through simplifying processes, language and more. 🎟️ Register now: bit.ly/4bohkIf 📍Online | Free

⚡ To reach net zero, we must change how & when we use energy. But which strategies work? A new BIT & CSA Group report reviews Behavioural Energy Programs - initiatives designed to help people use energy more efficiently - to find the most effective ways to shift demand. Read more: bit.ly/4ihMMKH

🔄 Big Shift #3: Make behavioural science more adaptive Rigid approaches can fail in fast-changing environments. In the third of four big shifts @mhallsworth.bsky.social explores how to tackle unstable issues using flexible framing & adaptive testing. 👇Read the latest in our series: bit.ly/4gXEG8E

New BIT podcast 🎧 Join @mhallsworth.bsky.social to hear how behavioural science has developed over the last 10 years, including the wins, the setbacks, and the future of the field. 🎧 Listen now: bit.ly/4bcTOOj

New case study: embracing car-light living 🚶 In the One Less Car challenge, BIT & Uber incentivised people across North America to replace their personal car with alternative transit. Impact: people cut their car use 97% See how we did it 👇 bit.ly/3QqbU5Z

🍺 Harmful drinking causes 2.6 million deaths yearly, yet barriers remain to choosing no/low-alcohol options. We partnered with Comunidad Mexicana to explore how behavioural science can help people shift to healthier choices in the UK, Germany and Mexico. 👇 Read our findings: bit.ly/3CIFzEp

📢 What makes nations succeed? Join us on 26 March for an evening with Nobel Laureate James Robinson, exploring how inclusive institutions & innovation drive sustainable growth—and what this means for policymakers & leaders today. 🎟️ Register now: bit.ly/3X1oE6H 📍In person | central London

💡 How can charities run more effective fundraising campaigns? We teamed up with the NVPC and the MCCY in Singapore to create the Effective Fundraising Communications Playbook - a free, evidence-based guide to boost donations. Start applying these insights today ⬇️ bit.ly/3EI6Dnw

Just announced 📢 Join us on Thursday 6 March 9:00 – 10:00 EST / 14:00 – 15:00 GMT for a live webinar with @mhallsworth.bsky.social to explore the newly updated EAST framework—a simple, effective guide for understanding behaviour. Register to attend: www.bi.team/events/make-...

Now is the best time to for governments in the northern hemisphere to prepare people for extreme summer heat. BIT's Leah Everist shares how applied behavioural science can help mitigate the harms of excessive heat by ensuring people take action to stay safe: www.bi.team/blogs/people...