Episode 91

Written By zoe amar
A photo of Chris Sherwood, a man with blonde hair and a beard, wearing a blue jacket and standing in front of a white wall

Keeping Children Safe Online: AI, the Online Safety Act, and Leadership with Lived Experience

We chat to Chris Sherwood, Chief Executive of the NSPCC


This week we're thrilled to bring you the first of two special episodes focused on the Online Safety Act – a topic that's hitting the headlines right now as Ofcom investigates Elon Musk's X and its AI tool Grok for potentially generating indecent images.

We sat down with Chris Sherwood, the brilliant Chief Executive of the NSPCC, who brings over 20 years of voluntary sector experience and a deeply personal connection to child protection – Chris contacted Childline himself as a child. Now he's leading one of the UK's most important charities at a pivotal moment for online safety.

This is a powerful conversation where we discuss:

  • Why the Online Safety Act matters now: Chris explains why Ofcom needs to "show teeth" and use its full range of powers to hold tech companies accountable

  • The AI Wild West: From AI enabled sextortion of young boys to AI-generated child abuse material

  • Leading with lived experience: How Chris's own childhood experience shapes his leadership and why having proper support networks matters

  • Why safety can't rest on parents' shoulders: The case for tech companies designing safety in from the start, not as an afterthought

  • AI opportunities at NSPCC: How the charity is using technology to deepen supporter relationships and better understand children's experiences through Childline data

Paul and Zoe discuss the ICO's new report on agentic AI and the data protection considerations leaders need to keep front of mind, plus KPMG's bold move to rate staff on how effectively they use AI in performance reviews – a signal that AI literacy is becoming a core professional skill.

This is essential listening for anyone who cares about child safety, responsible AI, or leading with authenticity and purpose.

LISTEN HERE

Show Notes & Links

NSPCC Child Safety Online Taskforce Report with Baringa – Research showing online safety influences consumer choices

ICO Tech Futures: Agentic AI Report

KPMG AI Use Metric: A Necessary Professional Services Wake-up Call

Common Sense Media – NSPCC's US partner on keeping children safe online

Please leave us a review if you enjoy what you hear!

Editing and production - Paul Thomas

Music by Joseph McDade https://josephmcdade.com/music

Full transcript of this episode (srt file)

Full transcript of this episode (.txt file)

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Episode 90