Jon Howard

In a publicly funded organisation like the BBC, innovating at the speed of AI requires more than enthusiasm - it demands rigour, vision, and systems that can turn creativity into capability. As Head of Generative AI, Jon is helping the BBC establish a GenAI Hub: a function designed to enable safe, meaningful and scalable adoption of generative AI across editorial, production, and operations.

This session will explore what it takes to move from isolated experiments to organisation-wide capability. Using examples such as the Bitesize AI Tutor prototype, as well as emerging work in journalism and production, Jon will delve into case studies and unpack how the BBC is building the frameworks, partnerships, and governance needed to deliver value responsibly.

Key themes:

• From pilots to platforms: how early prototypes inform strategy without overpromising product launches

• Unlocking value in the newsroom and production: incubating agentic tools for journalism, content creation, and cross-platform efficiency

• Balancing safety and speed: lightweight triage and risk processes that enable rapid but responsible experimentation