Did you know that 8 out of 10 of the last VFX Oscars were won by Brits? Or that Sir Tim Berners Lee, inventor of the world wide web, is from the UK? The UK’s rich history of innovation and creativity has provided the world with ideas, products and entertainment that we can’t live without.

The UK innovation ecosystem—from academia all the way through to industry—is a free-thinking culture that removes constraints and fosters world-leading talent.

To showcase how the UK is shaping the future,we invited lucky New Yorkers to a unique experience that enabled them to uncover new perspectives – an AI powered banquet where guests dined alongside some of Britain’s most iconic figures from the past.

Bringing together technological innovation, cutting edge gastronomy, theatre and contemporary British design, this was truly an event unlike any other.

The experience, designed by Bompas & Parr, in conjunction with AI scientist Dr Shama Rahman and the Alan Turing Institute, created AI bots built from the works and words of famous Britons, from Shakespeare to Mary Seacole. During the dinner, these AI bots powered conversations, giving accurate responses in the icon’s words, feeding actors the lines and allowing diners to interact with them in-person — asking questions they’ve always wanted to ask.

Global innovators choose the UK as their home

Over 1800 new start-ups are founded every day in the UK. This year, London has been named the best city in the world to be a young entrepreneur, ahead of NYC and San Francisco. And with 50% of UK start ups having a foreign-born founder, it is evident that the UK continues to be a magnet for the world’s innovators and creative thinkers.

That’s why a record level of international investment is flooding into the UK. From robotics to life sciences, and advanced manufacturing to the creative industries, the UK’s world-renowned science and innovation environment is a core commercial asset for international companies looking to develop new products and services.

We have a world-class creative industry that has won eight out of the last ten VFX Oscars as well as producing Grand Theft Auto, the world’s largest grossing entertainment product of all time. UK innovators are embracing the commercial and cultural possibilities of virtual reality, artificial intelligence, 5G, and other developing fields.