Sue Daley OBE, Director of Technology and Innovation at Tech UK is my guest for this episode of The AI Adoption Podcast. We discuss the current state of the UK tech sector, particularly focusing on AI adoption and its implications for businesses and the economy. The conversation covers the role of AI in the UK’s Industrial Strategy, the challenges faced by SMEs in adopting AI, and the importance of government, university and industry collaboration to support AI initiatives. Sue emphasises the need for education, awareness, and the integration of AI into everyday business tools and processes to facilitate adoption. The discussion also focuses on the future of work and the evolving landscape of jobs as agentic AI is rolled out into many organisations.
Sue shares powerful insights on:
• Why the UK ranks third globally in AI behind the US and China.
• How AI adoption, not just innovation, drives value across every sector.
• The challenge of bringing SMEs into the AI journey.
• Why scaling pilots into real-world deployments is the next frontier.
Listen now to understand how AI adoption is reshaping business, skills, and the future of work in the UK.
Key messages
• AI is a transformative technology that is itself rapidly evolving.
• The UK is third in the world for AI development and adoption.
• AI is integral to the UK's Industrial Strategy and economic growth.
• Adoption of AI requires a narrative that resonates with businesses.
• SMEs need support and education to adopt AI effectively.
• AI is becoming embedded in everyday processes, tools and services.
• Government, university and industry collaboration is crucial for AI adoption.
• Training and upskilling the workforce is essential for AI integration.
• Peer-to-peer learning can help SMEs understand AI benefits.
• The future of work will involve AI augmenting human roles.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to AI Adoption and Tech UK
02:48 Impact of the UK's Industrial Strategy on the UK Tech Sector
05:58 Moving from AI Plans to AI Adoption
08:54 Key Developments for AI Adoption
12:00 Small Language Models
14:51 Coping with Rapid Changes in AI Technology
17:55 Supporting SMEs in AI Adoption
20:51 Government and Policy Support for AI
23:49 The Role of Tech Companies in AI Adoption
26:34 Impact of AI on Jobs and Workforce
29:27 AI and the Future of Work
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