Harris Students Build AI Tools with Rishi Sunak and Microsoft UK CEO
Students and staff at Harris Academy St John’s Wood welcomed former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Darren Hardman, CEO of Microsoft UK & Ireland, to a special session focused on one question: how do we prepare young people for a future increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence?
The event, on Friday 25 September 2026, began with a Q&A session in which students and staff asked a wide range of questions about AI, including the opportunities and challenges it presents for the UK and people around the world.
Several interconnected themes emerged throughout the discussion: social mobility, the future job market, security, dependence on AI and how the technology can be used positively.
The second half of the visit gave students the opportunity to put those ideas into practice.
Working in teams, Sixth Form students were challenged to use AI to address genuine problems connected to inclusion, accessibility and equitable access to education.
Rather than beginning with the technology, students first identified the problem they wanted to solve, the people who would use their solution, the most appropriate AI tool and the impact it could have.
They then moved rapidly from ideas to prototype Microsoft Copilot agents.
One group developed a Careers Adviser to help young people explore future pathways and the practical steps towards their ambitions.
Another produced a Letter Translator, which translates and summarises school communications so families can understand important information more easily.
A third created Lost in Translation, an agent that helps students learning English to understand curriculum content while developing their language skills.
A fourth developed School Guidance, which combines translation and simplified explanations with help navigating school information, such as finding useful websites, the right teachers and suitable revision resources.
Sir Dan Moynihan, CEO of the Harris Federation, said:
“It was a huge privilege for students and staff to be able to grill our guests on any aspect of AI they liked. Their questions reflected real depth of thinking, focusing not just on what AI could mean for them but on what it means for society as a whole.
“The practical session that followed demonstrated an important principle behind Harris's approach to AI: students should not simply be consumers of artificial intelligence. They should learn how to question it, shape it and decide when it can genuinely help solve a problem.
“We are grateful to Mr Sunak and Mr Hardman for such a thought-provoking session. Working with them to create prototype tools that could help address some of the most pressing issues in education was inspiring for everyone involved.”