Wait, why was Barack Obama in Manchester city centre?

Barack Obama was spotted in Manchester city centre as crowds gathered hoping to catch a glimpse of the former US president ahead of his appearance at Co-op Live.

People lined the streets as Obama was seen leaving the five-star Stock Exchange Hotel on Norfolk Street yesterday (16th October), with a convoy of vehicles also spotted in the area.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham was also seen making an appearance, with reports suggesting the pair were meeting at the hotel’s Sterling Bar.

The hotel has welcomed a string of famous faces over the years, including Bruce Springsteen, Liam Gallagher, Madonna and David Beckham.

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So what was he doing here?

Obama was in Manchester for An Evening with President Barack Obama – a discussion with writer and broadcaster Afua Hirsch at Co-op Live. 

The event formed part of his UK tour and focused on ‘what comes next’ for America and the rest of the world, as the USA approaches the 250th anniversary of signing the Declaration of Independence.

What did Obama say at the event?

During the event, Obama described misinformation as one of the “biggest dangers of our time”, warning that the online world had become increasingly “splintered” and that those in positions of power “have not figured it out”.

He argued that the problem stemmed from a shift in priorities, with online platforms favouring advertising revenue and engagement over accuracy.

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“It turns out that a lot of what keeps you hooked is anger, resentment, fear along with lust and cat videos,” he said.

Obama also addressed how easily users could become trapped in online “silos”, where algorithms reinforce existing views and limit exposure to different ones, contributing to a fragmented information landscape.

The former president warned that the development of AI was happening as quickly as, “if not faster than social media”.

“We’re not prepared,” he said, highlighting the “lack of democratic constraint” surrounding the technology.

He argued that while AI had the power to “disrupt a lot”, it was up to citizens to “make clear that technology should not determine our fate”, stressing that people should retain control over the tools they create.

Obama’s message to Manchester

In his closing message, Obama paid tribute to Manchester’s cotton workers who opposed slavery during the American Civil War, highlighting the power of collective action.

He reflected on revolutionary movements and reminded the audience that change was “part of this ongoing story”.

For younger generations facing an uncertain future shaped by misinformation and AI, his message was hopeful.

Obama was left with a “thunderous applause” after his talk.

Featured Image via Tiktok @rudimcfctv and @htoolie