What happens during the workshop?

Participants adopt the roles of powerful stakeholders, such as tech company CEOs and leaders of countries, with the potential and responsibility to affect how AI will shape the future. They are then asked to embody their position and act as they might in a real-life situation.

The scenario progresses over several rounds, each representing a two-year period. Participants are asked to propose open-ended actions that could plausibly be taken by states and companies as a major initiative in the domain of AI over such a period (for example a major funding drive or bill). Along the way, they develop new technologies along a pre-described “technology tree” based on real-world predictions, and negotiate with other teams. 

Our facilitator narrates the story as it develops, detailing the impact of actions taken, geopolitical tensions, and political instability, and ultimately what the sum of all actions means on the world stage. As the scenario progresses, the facilitator introduces consequences of player actions and technological developments that give reason for concern and increase the competitive pressure.

How many participants do you need to play?

Ideally 8-16, but we have tailored games for up to 30 players, and a more introductory version for a conference setting with up to 80 participants.

How long does a workshop last?

Usually 4 hours, but this can be tailored to your needs. We have also created multi-session formats that run over several days or weeks.

Who do you usually facilitate Intelligence Rising for?

Clients to date have tended to fit one of the following categories:

• Teams of professionals in the tech sector

• Government AI Policy teams, government AI/Tech Foresight teams, or government AI regulators 

• Staff and board members at think tanks and NGOs working on tech policy / tech futures / risks

• Students and young professionals enrolled in advanced degrees or fellowship programmes

• Participants at events and conferences

What does it cost to host a workshop?

Rates typically fall in the range of £5,000 for private sector companies. This depends on factors such as: 

• whether you would like us to do any tailoring of the game to fit your focus areas

• whether you’d like us to provide post-game discussion of the game scenario in light of available research

• the required seniority of our facilitator

• where your team is located, or whether the workshop can be facilitated virtually.

The time required from our game design team and senior facilitators will account for most of the variance in potential prices, which will depend on the degree of customisation you need. We can offer compressed versions of our main workshop format, and are happy to be involved in the collaborative creation of large wargames.

We often facilitate workshops for non-profits at a discounted price, and are sometimes able to offer them pro bono.

Can we play the game virtually?

Yes. While sessions are usually held in-person, they can be run online.

Can we play in a language other than English?

Yes, we can facilitate games in French, German, Hebrew, and Norwegian. Please note that our game materials are currently only available in English - if we need to translate our materials this may limit availability or lead to additional charges.

Is it worth the time and money?

84% of participants would recommend Intelligence Rising after playing. This is based on an evaluation of Intelligence Rising conducted by the University of Cambridge in the period 2020-2023, based on 50 survey responses from 14 different games. Results from the evaluation are to be published in an academic paper.

Previous clients have said:

• “It prompted me to more actively put myself in the shoes of other actors as I consider AI strategy questions.” (Manager at AI company, UK)

• “It’s about the feeling of unexpectedness that will stick with me.” (AI PhD candidate, UK)

• “I got an insight into the kinds of decisions, points of leverage, and dynamics that make up the world stage with respect to AI development and deployment.” (AI researcher, USA)

• “Certainly [I got] a better sense of what it feels like to reason about cooperation vs defection from the inside! […] US was acting the most prudent with respect to safety, but our political position got demolished as a result. In a crucial, pivotal 10 minutes of the game, I felt intimately the tradeoff between letting the opponent win vs. increasing the probability that everyone loses. I think that tradeoff is going to prove crucial in real life.” (Software Engineer, USA)

We’re in the process of standardising and analysing quantitative player feedback. 

Can I facilitate Intelligence Rising?

Our current policy is to not share game materials for external facilitation, because we believe adjudication by our trained facilitators is a key component of achieving the learning objectives and an overall successful experience. That being said, we are open to providing efficient onboarding for teams who wish to play a fully internal game, e.g. for security reasons. Please get in touch and we will be happy to discuss your specific needs.