How CESIUM is driving AI adoption, safety, innovation and inclusivity (guest blog by Trilateral Research)
What is CESIUM?
CESIUM is Trilateral Research’s groundbreaking child safeguarding AI solution. Conceived in 2018 as a response to ongoing data sharing issues identified by the UK government on inter-agency working to safeguard children from exploitation, along with subjective and reactive risk identification practices, Trilateral’s background in data protection, cybersecurity and emerging tech, along with their subject matter expertise, put them in a unique position to drive the development of an ethical AI solution to transform efforts to safeguard children from exploitation.
Benefits of using CESIUM include:
- Optimised software
- Secure access to multi-agency data
- A single source of truth for each child
- Comprehensive local area insights
- Enhanced processes
- Increased objectivity
- Streamlined referrals
- Targeted interventions
- Improved outcomes
- 80% reduction in pre-screening time
- 400% capacity uplift
- 34% earlier safeguarding referral
Awareness of CESIUM continues to gather pace. Over the past year, experts at Trilateral have been invited to present on CESIUM and the innovative work of the Trilateral team. Audiences have included the UK’s National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), Interpol’s Specialist Group on Crimes Against Children (SGCAC), and on 21-23 May 2024, Abu Dhabi’s International Exhibition for National Security and Resilience (ISNR). The Trilateral team also continues to receive recognition for CESIUM, with a 2023 DataIQ award win, and shortlisting for two National Technology Awards (announcing 23 May 2024).
CESIUM: Driving adoption of AI
Since its inception, experts at Trilateral have recognised that for CESIUM to be fully utilised by the child safeguarding community, it had to address the challenges that prevent the adoption of responsible AI. To navigate these challenges, Trilateral developed sociotech methods, taking both technical and social factors into consideration throughout the development, implementation and ongoing use of AI.
|
The challenge |
How sociotech addresses this challenge |
|
Resourcing issues Limited operational capacity, limited digital skills, resistance to change |
Expert, interdisciplinary and domain knowledge supplements internal capacity and skillsets, and a co-design approach supports real, cultural change. |
|
Legacy issues Poor software, incomplete data sets, siloed data |
Software engineers and data scientists work with current systems and data to unpick the issues and provide holistic, user-friendly solutions. |
|
AI concerns Algorithmic and data bias, generic algorithms, ethical concerns |
Ethicists are an integral part of the AI development journey, ensuring data and associated algorithms are as transparent, explainable, fair and trustworthy as possible. |
|
Reporting issues Lack of context for insights, reporting complexity |
Subject matter experts leverage a research-driven approach to support throughout development, implementation and ‘Business As Usual’ making sure insights fully address the problem at hand. |
|
Governance issues Dynamic regulatory environments, data protection and data sharing concerns |
Legal advisors, data protection, responsible AI and cybersecurity specialists provide the expert knowledge to ensure data and insights are ethical, secure and compliant. |
Ensuring safety in AI
The safety of CESIUM, it’s data management and its outputs are critical for its success. The team at Trilateral implement an ethics-by-design framework that operationalises UKGOV’s five principles for responsible AI and ensures that safety is a key consideration throughout development and deployment.
- Safety, security and robustness
- Secure cloud hosting
- Comprehensive data security
- Ethical AI risk assessments
- Appropriate transparency and explainability
- UK Algorithmic Transparency Standard adoption
- Robust processes and documentation
- Co-design process
- Fairness
- Bias mitigation strategies
- Transparency insights dashboard
- Bias mitigation user training
- Accountability and governance
- Ethics-by-design framework
- Continuous improvement processes
- Contestability and redress mechanisms
- Shared responsibility
- Clear identification of roles and responsibilities
- Client / supplier compliance
- Annual validation and training
The data ethics methods used to develop CESIUM have been published in the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation’s Portfolio of AI Assurance Techniques, and OECD’s Catalogue of Tools and Metrics for Trustworthy AI.
Fostering innovation with AI
By instilling responsible principles in AI from the start – whether transparency, non-malfeasance or explainability – innovation in responsible AI development becomes a standard outcome.
Scaling with confidence
- A robust approach to deployment ensures efficiency and bias mitigation.
- Principle-driven ML models present less challenges and are less time-consuming.
- Alignment to principles and values ensures accurate, streamlined testing.
Innovating continuously
- AI evolution requires a continual drive for investment and adaptation.
- Ongoing, ethical AI utilisation and readiness for future advancements.
- AI becomes a co-pilot for innovation and sustainable growth.
Future-proofing innovation
- Ongoing assurance that challenges the notion of a one-time bias removal.
- Readiness for emerging regulations, such as the AI Act, beyond mere compliance.
- Prioritising responsibility over reactive compliance enables competitive advantage.
Embedding inclusivity in AI
CESIUM’s ethics-by-design framework ensures inclusivity throughout development, implementation and ongoing use.
Diverse dataset utilisation | CESIUM leverages a diverse range of features from end user datasets, meticulously curated. By incorporating and accounting for the impact of varied demographics such as race, gender, age, socio-economic background, and geographical locations, our AI models deliver inclusive outcomes.
Bias-mitigated decision making | Through implementation of a unique sociotech bias-mitigation process and continuous monitoring and refinement of its advanced algorithms, CESIUM ensures fairness and equity in every insight it provides.
Community-driven development | CESIUM is a result of extensive collaboration with diverse stakeholders, including domain experts, ethicists and end users.
Transparent decision processes | With CESIUM, transparency is paramount. Clear explanations of how decisions are reached are provided, empowering users to understand and interrogate the factors influencing AI-driven outcomes. Trilateral is an early, voluntary adopter of the UK Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard.
Accessible and User-Centric Design | CESIUM prioritises accessibility and usability, ensuring that it caters to the diverse needs and preferences of all users. Its UI/UX features incorporate the UK government’s accessibility requirements for public sector bodies.
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Usman Ikhlaq
Usman Ikhlaq
Usman joined techUK in January 2024 as Programme Manager for Artificial Intelligence.
He leads techUK’s AI Adoption programme, supporting members of all sizes and sectors in adopting AI at scale. His work involves identifying barriers to adoption, exploring solutions, and helping to unlock AI’s transformative potential, particularly its benefits for people, the economy, society, and the planet. He is also committed to advancing the UK’s AI sector and ensuring the UK remains a global leader in AI by working closely with techUK members, the UK Government, regulators, and devolved and local authorities.
Since joining techUK, Usman has delivered a regular drumbeat of activity to engage members and advance techUK's AI programme. This has included two campaign weeks, the creation of the AI Adoption Hub (now the AI Hub), the AI Leader's Event Series, the Putting AI into Action webinar series and the Industrial AI sprint campaign.
Before joining techUK, Usman worked as a policy, regulatory and government/public affairs professional in the advertising sector. He has also worked in sales, marketing, and FinTech.
Usman holds an MSc from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), a GDL and LLB from BPP Law School, and a BA from Queen Mary University of London.
When he isn’t working, Usman enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He also has a keen interest in running, reading and travelling.
Sue Daley OBE
Sue Daley OBE
Sue leads techUK's Technology and Innovation work.
This includes work programmes on cloud, data protection, data analytics, AI, digital ethics, Digital Identity and Internet of Things as well as emerging and transformative technologies and innovation policy.
In 2025, Sue was honoured with an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the Technology Industry in the New Year Honours List.
She has been recognised as one of the most influential people in UK tech by Computer Weekly's UKtech50 Longlist and in 2021 was inducted into the Computer Weekly Most Influential Women in UK Tech Hall of Fame.
A key influencer in driving forward the data agenda in the UK, Sue was co-chair of the UK government's National Data Strategy Forum until July 2024. As well as being recognised in the UK's Big Data 100 and the Global Top 100 Data Visionaries for 2020 Sue has also been shortlisted for the Milton Keynes Women Leaders Awards and was a judge for the Loebner Prize in AI. In addition to being a regular industry speaker on issues including AI ethics, data protection and cyber security, Sue was recently a judge for the UK Tech 50 and is a regular judge of the annual UK Cloud Awards.
Prior to joining techUK in January 2015 Sue was responsible for Symantec's Government Relations in the UK and Ireland. She has spoken at events including the UK-China Internet Forum in Beijing, UN IGF and European RSA on issues ranging from data usage and privacy, cloud computing and online child safety. Before joining Symantec, Sue was senior policy advisor at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). Sue has an BA degree on History and American Studies from Leeds University and a Masters Degree on International Relations and Diplomacy from the University of Birmingham. Sue is a keen sportswoman and in 2016 achieved a lifelong ambition to swim the English Channel.
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Tess Buckley
Tess Buckley
A digital ethicist and musician, Tess holds a MA in AI and Philosophy, specialising in ableism in biotechnologies. Their professional journey includes working as an AI Ethics Analyst with a dataset on corporate digital responsibility, followed by supporting the development of a specialised model for sustainability disclosure requests. Currently at techUK as programme manager in digital ethics and AI safety, Tess focuses on demystifying and operationalising ethics through assurance mechanisms and standards. Their primary research interests encompass AI music systems, AI fluency, and technology created by and for differently abled individuals. Their overarching goal is to apply philosophical principles to make emerging technologies both explainable and ethical.
Outside of work Tess enjoys kickboxing, ballet, crochet and jazz music.
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- tess.buckley@techuk.org
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- tessbuckley.me
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- https://www.linkedin.com/in/tesssbuckley/
Laura Foster
Laura Foster
Laura is techUK’s Associate Director for Technology and Innovation.
She supports the application and expansion of emerging technologies, including Quantum Computing, High-Performance Computing, AR/VR/XR and Edge technologies, across the UK. As part of this, she works alongside techUK members and UK Government to champion long-term and sustainable innovation policy that will ensure the UK is a pioneer in science and technology
Before joining techUK, Laura worked internationally as a conference researcher and producer covering enterprise adoption of emerging technologies. This included being part of the strategic team at London Tech Week.
Laura has a degree in History (BA Hons) from Durham University, focussing on regional social history. Outside of work she loves reading, travelling and supporting rugby team St. Helens, where she is from.
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Nimmi Patel
Nimmi Patel
Nimmi Patel is the Head of Skills, Talent and Diversity at techUK. She works on all things skills, education, and future of work policy, focusing on upskilling and retraining. Nimmi is also an Advisory Board member of Digital Futures at Work Research Centre (digit). The Centre research aims to increase understanding of how digital technologies are changing work and the implications for employers, workers, job seekers and governments.
Prior to joining the techUK team, she worked for the UK Labour Party and New Zealand Labour Party, and holds an MA in Strategic Communications at King’s College London and BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the University of Manchester. She is currently taking part in the 2024-25 University of Bath Institute for Policy Research Policy Fellowship Programme.
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Audre Verseckaite
Audre Verseckaite
Audre joined techUK in July 2023 as a Policy Manager for Data. Previously, she was a Policy Advisor in the Civil Service, where she worked on the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and at HM Treasury on designing COVID-19 support schemes and delivering the Financial Services and Markets Bill. Before that, Audre worked at a public relations consultancy, advising public and private sector clients on their communications, public relations, and government affairs strategy.
Prior to this, Audre completed an MSc in Public Policy at the Korea Development Institute and a Bachelor's in International Relations and History from SOAS, University of London. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors, learning about new cultures through travel and food, and going on adventures.
Edward Emerson
Edward Emerson
Edward leads the Digital Economy programme at techUK, which includes our work on online safety, fraud, and regulation for growth initiatives.
He has prior experience working for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and has previously worked for a number of public affairs consultancies specialising in research and strategy, working with leading clients in the technology and financial services sectors.
Heather Cover-Kus
Heather Cover-Kus
Heather is Head of Central Government Programme at techUK, working to represent the supplier community of tech products and services to Central Government.
Prior to joining techUK in April 2022, Heather worked in the Economic Policy and Small States Section at the Commonwealth Secretariat. She led the organisation’s FinTech programme and worked to create an enabling environment for developing countries to take advantage of the socio-economic benefits of FinTech.
Before moving to the UK, Heather worked at the Office of the Prime Minister of The Bahamas and the Central Bank of The Bahamas.
Heather holds a Graduate Diploma in Law from BPP, a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from LSE, and a BA in Economics and Sociology from Macalester College.
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