Launch of the AI Resist List: Community forum for Possible Futures
Some say that AI - run by a small group of billionaires and consuming an unfathomable amount of data, land, energy, labour, and water - is inevitable.
But the recent release of the AIResistList.org shows how people around the world are proving that alternative futures are possible. And that communities are finding many creative ways to push back against extractive AI.
Originally envisaged as a journalistic endeavour by journalists such as Karen Hao, alongside researchers from The DAIR Institute, We and AI, and The Refugee Law Lab. In response, many hundreds of people have contacted the team to share stories or offer support and collaboration.
We are now taking the opportunity to bring this growing community together in London and via online conferencing. As part of London Data Week we will spotlight the local initiatives in the List, before hearing insights from those who have found the list useful in their own projects. We will be joined by those on the List from other continents connected by the impact of AI supply chains.
We will hear from some of the many projects in London working to challenge the pillars which support the empires of AI. Finally we will be joined by speakers considering the value of community spaces and shared resources. These conversations will help shape the next phase of the AI Resist List as it expands under the Stewardship of We and AI.
We invite you to find out more about how the airesistlist.org was created, how it supports policy, research, journalism, learning, inspiration and organising, and hear more about what is going on in AI at a community-first level around the world.
We will have a series of short lightning talks showing the many different ways in people are taking back power and imagination, introduced by guest host Mhairi Aitken of Our AI Collective CIC. Speakers include:
Eleanor Taylor - Permacomputing
Sinem Görücü - Memetivism
Zoya Yasmine - Better Images of AI
Professor Kate Devlin - Digital Futures Institute, KCL
Dr Stef Garasto - University of Greenwich
Joan Kinyua - The Data Labelers Association
Maurice Carney - Friends of the Congo
Barbara Ntambirweki - ETC Group and the Africa Technology Assessment Platform (AfriTAP)
Dr Zeerak Talat - University of Edinburgh
Rachel Coldicutt - Society of Hopeful Technologists
Dr Tim Squirrell - Foxglove
Jemima Gibbons - Sticks & Stones
Dr Yulu Pi - University of Warwick
Alex Lawrence-Archer - AWO
The Possible Futures Community - PFC
Tania Duarte, Marion Meyers - We and AI
This event is part of a full day’s programme of reimagining and reclaiming AI at London Data Week 2026 on the 8th of July at King’s College London. You can book other sessions here.