Sheffield pilots public-focused AI awareness campaign

The University of Sheffield has launched Let’s Talk AI, a pilot campaign designed to improve public understanding of artificial intelligence through community-driven storytelling.

The initiative uses webtoons—digital comics designed for mobile viewing—and appears across social media and outdoor placements, including bus stops in Sheffield, Plymouth, and Morecambe and Lancaster. The campaign presents three storylines focused on AI in media, everyday life and education, supported by an online resource hub offering practical guidance.

Community insight shapes campaign approach

The project, led by Dr Susan Oman, Senior Lecturer in Data, AI and Society, was developed through six months of workshops with local communities. Participants shared their questions, concerns and expectations about AI, which were then translated into narrative formats.

Dr Susan Oman, Senior Lecturer, The University of Sheffield: "Government AI skills initiatives focus on upskilling the workforce and schools, but there's nothing to encourage healthy discussions and informed usage for the rest of us. The grandparent navigating scam emails, the parent trying to keep up with what their children are doing online, or for anyone encountering AI for the first time. Let's Talk AI is designed to fill that gap. When we asked communities what they wanted, they told us they needed a better understanding of how AI works in their lives and the lives of people around them. They didn't want webinars or reports, they wanted characters and stories they could identify with. This pilot shows what a national AI awareness campaign for the public could look like. Now we need the Government to back it."

The campaign’s creative execution was developed in collaboration with comic artist Kitty McEwan, who translated real-life perspectives into illustrated stories and characters inspired by workshop participants.

Creative storytelling meets AI literacy

Kitty McEwan: "With AI now being used to generate art, videos and even comics, it felt important that this campaign was unmistakably human-made and accessible to everyone, regardless of age, background or experience with AI. To match this, the webtoon artwork leans heavily towards celebrating human imperfection and tactile imagery full of rough, but real, lines and textures."

The decision to extend the campaign into outdoor media came directly from community input, including suggestions from participants such as a retired librarian involved in the workshops.

Backed by research and public sector partners

The campaign builds on insights from Public Voices in AI, a £1 million research initiative into responsible AI. It is funded through an AI Skills Award from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and supported by organisations including the Government Office for Science, the Ada Lovelace Institute and Connected by Data.

Let’s Talk AI was also previewed at the International AI Impact Summit earlier this year, positioning the pilot as a potential model for broader public engagement around AI literacy.