Almost overnight, AI-powered chatbots like ChatGPT, are transforming society, politics and business.
Every day, hundreds of millions of people use chatbots to organise their finances, plan their holidays, seek therapy or find love.
But as some people use it to turbo-charge their productivity, others are falling into dangerous conspiracies, delusions and psychosis.
Award-winning technology writer Jamie Bartlett takes you inside the machine: showing how it works and how we can make the most of our powerful new companions, even as they are changing the way we live, feel, and think.
His book, How to Talk to AI is an essential and empowering guide to harnessing the potential of one of the biggest and fastest technological changes in history.
A BBC ‘Book You Need to Read in 2026’
Copies of the book will be available to purchase on the night
Jamie Bartlett is one of the UK’s leading technology writers and thinkers. His previous books include The Dark Net and The People vs Tech, which was longlisted for the 2019 Orwell Prize for Political Writing. His Ted Talk about buying drugs on dark net markets has been watched nearly six million times.
He has written and presented several hit BBC podcast series, including the smash hit The Missing Cryptoqueen, which reached number 1 in the podcast charts all round the world. In 2010, Jamie founded a research centre specialising in designing and applying artificial intelligence software to understand social trends.
Yellow-lighted Bookshop is a local independent bookshop and a regular partner on events at the Goods Shed. Their small-but-beautiful shops in Tetbury and Nailsworth are always worth a visit.
Advance tickets £12. On the door £14
Licensed bar. Doors open at 6:45pm. Talk starts at 7:30pm.