Why this perspective is different
Alexander Gheorghiu is a logician at the University of Southampton and UCL whose research addresses the formal foundations of reasoning — the precise question of what it means for a system to actually think, rather than predict. His work sits at the intersection of proof theory, philosophy of logic, and artificial intelligence. He writes for the Times Literary Supplement and The Conversation, and received the Graham Hoare Prize from the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications in 2025.
- University of Southampton
- UCL
- Times Literary Supplement
What this gap looks like in practice
AI tools are being adopted rapidly across almost every sector. AI systems genuinely reason in some respects, and the most impressive demonstrations are real. But there is a gap between what AI does well and what it can be relied upon for — and that gap is where the practical consequences live. Four examples drawn from recurring patterns:
A procurement team approves a tool because its demo was fluent, without asking whether fluency correlates with reliability.
A board signs off on an AI strategy built on vendor claims that no one in the room had the tools to interrogate.
A governance framework specifies ‘human oversight’ without defining what oversight means when the system’s reasoning is opaque.
A 97% accuracy figure is taken as evidence of readiness, without anyone asking what happens in the 3%.
None of these is a hypothetical. Each reflects a specific kind of mistake the workshop is built to make legible — and avoidable.
What the workshop covers
- Duration
- Four hours
- Delivery
- In person or remote
- Group size
- Up to 20 participants
- Audience
- Leadership, strategy & product teams
- Fee
- £2,500
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
- Distinguish AI capabilities that are robust from those that are brittle — and know which questions to ask.
- Interrogate the claims of AI vendors and internal technical teams with greater rigour.
- Identify where their current AI strategy rests on assumptions the technology cannot support.
- Frame AI governance and accountability decisions around what AI can formally be held responsible for.
This is what your team will be able to do. Enquire about a workshop →
Who it is for
This workshop is designed for teams making AI investment, procurement, or governance decisions — not for technical teams building AI systems. No prior technical knowledge is assumed or needed. The ideas are demanding; the framing is not.
What participants leave with
Participants leave with a shared conceptual vocabulary for evaluating AI claims — one that is immediately usable in vendor meetings, board conversations, and internal strategy sessions. A short reference document is provided. The goal is not a one-off briefing but a durable shift in how your team interrogates AI.
Teams that have done this work make faster, more confident AI decisions — with less reliance on vendor framing and a clearer basis for due diligence. In a market where AI procurement is accelerating, that is a direct competitive advantage.
Want a preview of the kind of thinking the workshop develops? Try the free diagnostic — seven AI claims, four minutes. Or enquire directly.
If any of this sounds familiar
- If you have ever sat in a meeting where someone cited an AI output and no one asked how it got there — this workshop is for you.
- If your organisation has signed, or is considering, a significant AI contract and you want a rigorous basis for evaluating it — this workshop is for you.
- If you are the person in the room who suspects the AI conversation is missing something, but lacks the vocabulary to say what — this workshop is especially for you.
Questions you might be asking
Is this technical? No. The workshop is designed for people making AI decisions, not people building AI systems. No prior technical knowledge is assumed. The ideas are rigorous; the framing is not.
We already have an AI strategy. Why do we need this? The workshop doesn’t replace your strategy — it stress-tests the assumptions it rests on. Most AI strategies are built on claims about what the technology can do. This workshop gives your team the tools to distinguish the claims that hold up from the ones that don’t.
Four hours is a lot of time for my leadership team. It is. The workshop is designed to produce a durable shift in how your team evaluates AI — not a one-off briefing that fades by Friday. The reference framework participants leave with is still in use months later.
Can we do it remotely? Yes. The workshop runs in person or remotely with equal effectiveness. Remote sessions are conducted live (not pre-recorded) with the same interactive format.
Enquire about a workshop
A limited number of workshops are available each quarter. To discuss availability and suitability for your team, fill in the form below and I will be in touch within two working days.