Windfall Trust previews the Windfall AI Observatory Map at the LSE Global Forum for AI and the Social Sciences
The Windfall Trust previews its new Windfall AI Observatory Map at the LSE Global Forum for AI and the Social Sciences 2026. The Map is a new resource that will track countries’ exposure to AI-driven economic disruption and their capacity to respond. It is being developed for an initial set of more than 30 countries, with a case study of the United Kingdom being shared for the first time at the Global Forum ahead of the Map’s full public release later in the year.
Adrian Brown, CEO and founder, Windfall Trust, said:
"It's an honour to preview this work at LSE's first Global Forum for AI and the Social Sciences, which is asking the question we're trying to help answer on how governments, firms and workers can actually prepare for what AI is doing to work. Right now we still have a rare window to shape how this transition unfolds, rather than be shaped by it. Windfall’s AI Observatory is designed to measure what’s missing in our economic preparedness frameworks, precisely so that we can start building it.”
Explore the Windfall AI Observatory UK case study
This new resource has been announced as part of the London School of Economics and Political Science’s 2026 Global Forum for AI and the Social Sciences. To build momentum and unlock new forms of coordinated and collective action, selected organisations from around the world have been invited to use the Global Forum as a platform for releasing work, launching new initiatives, or making commitments related to the Forum's annual focus.
Statement from Windfall Trust
The Windfall AI Observatory asks a different question to many of the existing tools that measure how ready a country is to adopt AI. It focuses on how exposed a country is to AI-driven disruption, and how much capacity it has to absorb it. A country can score well on AI adoption and still be thinly protected in areas where countries are exposed to AI-driven change. The Windfall AI Observatory is designed to surface these gaps across categories of labor, fiscal, and competitive preparedness, so that action can be taken.
The Windfall AI Observatory is being developed for an initial set of over 30 countries, mapping the channels through which AI exposure occurs, the indicators that track it, and the limits of what current data can tell us. That methodology is being tested by a panel of around a dozen external reviewers, including Bharat Chandar (Stanford Digital Economy Lab) and Bouke Klein Tesselink (King’s College, London).
The Windfall Trust is sharing a single case study, the United Kingdom, at the 2026 Global Forum for AI and the Social Sciences to test these ideas ahead of a full public release.
About Windfall Trust
Windfall Trust is a policy research organisation preparing governments and institutions for AI-driven economic disruption. They bring together researchers, economists, and decision-makers to map out what an AI-driven economic future could look like, and surface workable options.
About the Global Forum for AI and the Social Sciences
The Global Forum for AI and the Social Sciences is an annual flagship event bringing together leaders across government, industry, academia, and civil society from around the world. Organised by the LSE Data Science Institute, the Global Forum aims to convene international dialogue at the intersection of AI and the social sciences and to mobilise expertise, resources, and partnerships to ensure AI serves human and societal needs.
The inaugural edition of the Global Forum will take place on 16 and 17 September 2026 with a thematic focus on how AI is reshaping work and what governments, firms, and workers must do to prepare for the changes ahead.