London of the Future is one of the most important books on London to be published this year.

Support it to be a part of the debate about the future of our city. Published by Merrell, the book features contributions from experts in various fields, among them architects, engineers, urbanists, journalists and campaigners. They set out their store on how London could and should improve by 2123

CEO and founder of The WOW Foundation, Jude Kelly explores the current debate over the uses of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in London of the Future.

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The technology enables a computer to think or act in a more 'human' way, which is causing fear and consternation in some quarters. Concerns range from the idea that AI and robots will become conscious and seek to destroy us, or that unscrupulous people will use AI for evil purposes.

Kelly’s chapter, A Leap of the Imagination, states that AI will be a major provider of cultural consumption in the future. However, Kelly points out that less than 14 per cent of current AI researchers are women – and even more worryingly – this number is decreasing.

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In 2022, Kelly gave a speech as part of CogX in London’s King’s Cross, a conference described as ‘the largest gathering of creative minds looking at challenges and tech-based solutions’. Representation online needs to be equal, Kelly pointed out: “People say if you can’t see it, you can’t be it, but really, if you can’t see it, you can’t have human rights”.

In A Leap of the Imagination, Kelly imagines what the cultural life in London 2123 might be like. It’s a place of diversity, inclusion and cultural exchange. “A London in the coming century that embraces the talent that exists on every street corner.”

Kelly is founder of The WOW Foundation, which runs WOW - Women of the World Festivals which celebrates the achievements of women and girls and confronts global gender injustice.

Starting at London’s Southbank Centre in 2010, where Kelly was artistic director for 12 years, the festival now takes place in 30 locations across six continents.

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Kelly's talk at a 2016 TED conference, Why women should tell the stories of humanity, has been viewed more than 1.3 million times.

In 2019, Kelly gave an impassioned speech at the London Society’s Banister Fletcher lecture. She stressed the importance of human imagination and how to make cultural places more accessible and inclusive, arguing that "excellence and egalitarianism should be inseparable twins".

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