Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford

Knowing what you’re capable of might matter more than what’s on your CV, at least, that’s what the research suggests.

In our latest episode of The Human Interface, Dr Fabian Stephany from the Oxford Internet Institute and Prateek Sibal from UNESCO explore what it actually takes to stay competitive in a jobs market being transformed by AI.

We cover the skills worth signalling to employers, the institutional changes that need to happen alongside individual effort, and why the people who tend to thrive in periods of rapid change are those who lean into it rather than away from it.

Listen to “The Skills That Win in an AI Jobs Market” here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0bNJNM97VOLEegin1Ycpak

And if you haven’t already, subscribe to The Human Interface from the Oxford Internet Institute wherever you get your podcasts.

“There are loads of AI institutes springing up everywhere, but the OII remains rather unique.”

Professor joined the Founding Stories Panel at Rhodes House as part of the OII’s 25th Anniversary celebrations, making the case for why a quarter century of studying how technology integrates into people’s lives and institutions is exactly what this moment in AI demands.

“The OII is bringing together all of us nerds who are passionate about new technology, and enabling us to have a lot of impact with our research.”

At the OII’s 25th Anniversary Summer Party, we caught up with Matthew Bone, DPhil student, and Slava Polonski, Ph.D, OII alumnus, for a conversation about what this place has meant to them, and how far it has come.

From a little house with a blue door on St Giles to a full department buzzing with interdisciplinary research, the OII’s 25-year trajectory is something our community feels personally.

One week it’s data ethics, the next it’s AI evaluations or the working conditions at global tech companies.

That range, and the rigour underneath it, is precisely what makes the OII distinctive.

“When something goes wrong, always look for the opportunity. Walk through the next door.”

Andrew Graham, former Acting Director and founding Chairman of the OII’s Advisory Board, joined the Founding Stories Panel at Rhodes House as part of the OII’s 25th Anniversary celebrations, reflecting on the moment he knew the internet was going to change everything, and what he decided to do about it.

“The work that the OII does has never been more relevant. This is the place that everyone should be coming to.”

Dr Yin Lu and Dr Kathryn Eccles joined us at Rhodes House for the OII’s 25th Anniversary Summer Party and Founding Stories Panel, reflecting on a quarter century of interdisciplinary research and what the next chapter holds.

From the founding questions of internet studies to the frontiers of AI and regulation, the conversation has never felt more alive.

“So I came to OII on the back of having a policy job. I didn’t want to be an academic, but what interested me about the job was this idea that the OII was going to be different. It wasn’t going to be an ivory tower. It was going to be about learning. It was about how the world was changing and applying that through excellent, rigorous research.”

We were grateful to hear from the former Director of the Oxford Internet Institute, Dr. Vicki Nash, who shared her reflections about the department’s early days during last week’s OII Founding Stories panel at Rhodes House.

To learn more about the OII’s 25th anniversary, click here: https://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/about/our-history/oii-25th-anniversary/

Earlier this week, the OII community of students, faculty, alumni, visitors, researchers, and professional services staff enjoyed a summer BBQ at Rhodes House to celebrate 25 years of the Oxford Internet Institute.

From drinks and nibbles on the lawn to a thought-provoking OII “Founder Stories” panel that revisited the origin story of the department, it was the perfect summer afternoon dedicated to acknowledging the impact, progress, and growth of the Oxford Internet Institute.

In case you missed it, tune into the latest episode of The Human Interface podcast featuring the OII’s Dr Johann Laux, and Accenture’s Ali Shah and Maxine Setiawan.

This episode explores the evolving role of human oversight of AI systems in the workplace and beyond. With so much of our professional lives being permeated by AI-enabled tools, where do checks and balances come in, and what might they look like?

Stream the episode to hear our guests discuss the commercial and regulatory considerations around human management of AI systems, and how we ensure new iterations of this technology remain ethical and accountable.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0SZOEEwBaq6zHHCKnsByUv