Why are so many companies investing in AI but seeing so little real impact? Is the biggest barrier bad data, or a workforce that secretly lacks the confidence to use it? In this conversation with Vivek and Bryan from the Global AI Leaders Network (GAIL), we unpack why organisations are stuck in “pilot mode,” why AI still feels intimidating to non-technical teams, and why literacy, not infrastructure may be the true bottleneck.

The discussion explores what actually moves the needle: safe “sandpit” environments where employees can experiment without fear, leadership that visibly uses AI, cross-functional teams tackling real business problems, and a culture that treats failure as part of progress. From marketing transformation to compliance automation, Vivek and Bryan share practical examples. They also warn that the biggest AI risk isn’t rogue superintelligence, it’s unintentional misuse by people who don’t fully understand the tools.

Finally, the episode dives into responsible AI, governance, and how organisations can scale from scattered pilots to enterprise-wide impact. If you want to understand what separates companies that talk about AI from those actually transforming with it and how to build a “human + AI” workforce ready for the future, this conversation is packed with grounded, actionable insight.

AI is our Business.

UKAI is the Trade Association for AI businesses across the UK. Join us, ukai.co

AI can help make sense of complex infrastructure projects, turning disconnected systems into clear plans that improve efficiency at scale and help protect national infrastructure. Energy, water, and other essential networks are under growing pressure from new demand, climate goals, and public expectations, and decisions in one area increasingly affect everything else.

This conversation with Michael Avant-Smith, from Business Modelling Applications, looks at how AI is being used to bring clarity to that complexity: linking data, testing options, and showing trade-offs in ways people can understand and act on. By supporting better planning, faster decisions, and continuous adjustment as conditions change, AI becomes a practical tool for building infrastructure that keeps up with the pace of change.

AI is our Business.

UKAI is the Trade Association for AI businesses across the UK. Join us, ukai.co

What does real sustainability look like when AI enters the room—loud, power-hungry, and ethically ambiguous?

In this episode of the UKAI Women in AI Podcast, we’re joined by Alex Smith, CEO of Future Plus, to talk candidly about non-linear careers, leadership under pressure, and why sustainability must move from glossy reports into everyday business decisions.

Alex shares her journey—from hospitality and professional sailing to building a guided SaaS platform that helps businesses embed sustainability across climate, social impact, governance, and economic resilience. Along the way, we explore:

Why sustainability and AI are fundamentally governance problems

The myth of “perfect” sustainability (and why progress matters more)

AI’s impact on net-zero pledges, workforce trust, and bias

Lessons from working parents, single motherhood, and executive leadership

How AI is being used to reduce food waste through projects like Bridge AI, in collaboration with Innovate UK, Google, and Nestlé

This is not sustainability as virtue-signalling. It’s sustainability as discipline: measured, managed, and embedded—especially as AI accelerates faster than our moral reflexes.

📌 Key theme: Just because we can, should we?

🔗 Learn more about Alex’s work: https://www.futureplus.co.uk

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AI is our Business.

UKAI is the Trade Association for AI businesses across the UK. Join us, ukai.co