Are businesses really making progress with AI, or are many still stuck using it for the digital equivalent of making phone calls on a smartphone?
In this episode, I sit down with Alison Kay, VP / Managing Director AWS UKI, to unpack what is actually happening behind the headlines of AI adoption across the UK.
On paper, the numbers look strong. Around 64% of UK businesses are now using AI, a sharp rise from the previous year. But when you look closer, the story shifts. Only one in four organizations have moved into more advanced use cases, where real productivity gains, efficiency improvements, and innovation start to show up in meaningful ways.
So what is holding everyone back?
In our conversation, Alison shares insights from AWS research and her work with organizations ranging from major enterprises like Barclays and the BBC to fast-moving startups. We explore why skill shortages are slowing progress, why many companies struggle to move beyond basic use cases, and how governance and trust are becoming central to scaling AI responsibly.
We also spend time breaking down the rise of agentic AI, a term that is starting to appear everywhere. Instead of simply generating answers, these systems are beginning to take action, writing code, testing software, and working alongside humans to dramatically accelerate delivery timelines. Alison shares a powerful example where a project that might have taken 40 engineers over two years was completed by six engineers in just 76 days with the support of AI agents.
Along the way, we look at real-world examples from companies like Trainline and Evri, showing how AI is already reshaping customer experience and operational efficiency in ways that go far beyond theory.
This episode is a must-listen for business leaders trying to understand where AI is delivering real value today, where the biggest gaps still exist, and how to move from experimentation to meaningful transformation.
So if your organization is already using AI, the real question becomes this, are you using it to improve what you already do, or are you ready to rethink how your business operates entirely?
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