The AI Adoption Podcast

Hollywood is not being disrupted quietly. A 12-year-old with a laptop has the potential to produce a film that rivals studio budgets. The traditional linear franchise model, from comics to cinema to merchandise to theme parks, is giving way to something far less predictable and far more open. Samantha Tauber, Founder of VNCCII and creator of a science futures franchise that spans music, storytelli...

In this episode, I speak with Eric Tyree, Head of Data and AI at Virgin Media O2, about a reality many organisations are still avoiding. AI adoption does not start with technology. It starts with pressure in the market. Eric describes a telecoms sector where services are commoditised, margins are tight, and customers are quick to leave. That context shapes everything at VM02. AI is built directly...

In this episode, I speak with Janusz Marecki, AI Partner at Ahrens, and the conversation cuts through the optimism that often surrounds AI. Janusz sets out a clear position. Current AI systems have fundamental shortcomings. They approximate answers rather than produce deterministic outcomes. Every token carries a probability of error, and those errors compound as outputs grow. This is not a margin...

In this episode of The AI Adoption Podcast, I speak with Sahar Danesh from the British Standards Institution about the role that standards play in the adoption and governance of artificial intelligence. Many organisations are racing to adopt AI. Productivity gains and competitive pressure are driving large and rapid investments. Yet this conversation revealed a striking gap between adoption and go...

This is for anyone recruiting or looking for a job or a new role. In this episode of The AI Adoption Podcast, I speak with Annabel Ashley from Indeed about AI adoption where it matters most, inside day-to-day operations at the sharp end of hiring. Indeed is already an AI-enabled organisation. Annabel shared that over 70% of Indeedians use AI at least weekly, and over 80% say it adds value to their...

In this episode of the AI Adoption Podcast, I speak with Chelsea Chamberlain, Chief Technology Officer at Roc Technologies, about to get an in-depth understanding of AI adoption across the UK public and private sectors. Chelsea sees a clear divergence in pace. Private sector firms in sectors such as banking, legal and pharmaceuticals are accelerating. Public sector organisations, on the other hand...

AI “of the people, by the people, for the people”. I’ve taken the words from the closing lines of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address to describe my discussion with Josh Tan from Public AI. Josh argues that AI should be treated as public infrastructure, closer to railways, highways, libraries, utilities, and the internet than to a premium service owned by a handful of companies. The context is stark. Two...

AI adoption in financial and professional services is being sold as a technology story. Olivia Larkin makes the case that it is really a workforce transformation story. In her words, ‘AI transformation is change management and it needs to be managed in that way by a business.’ Olivia leads skills and workforce policy at the City of London Corporation. She works across the UK, not just the Square M...

In this episode of The AI Adoption Podcast, I speak with Sumeet Bhatia from Cisco about the changing role of AI in defence and security. The discussion stays close to operational reality rather than abstract theory. We explore how AI now operates at a speed that humans cannot match. That speed allows threats to be detected earlier and systems to respond before damage spreads. At the same time, it...

Cash transactions are disappearing fast in the UK, but five million people still rely on cash payments. That tension sits at the heart of this episode. In my conversation with John Howells, Chief Executive of LINK, we explore the sharp fall in cash use, from six in ten payments a decade ago to fewer than one in ten today, and the consequences that follow. For most people, digital payments bring co...

In this episode of The AI Adoption Podcast, I speak with Sydney MacGregor from HSBC Innovation Banking about a critically important aspect of AI adoption: funding, risk, and scale. Sydney works with more than 250 enterprise software companies, most of them building AI into their core products. She shares a clear view of the UK AI market, from the surge in early-stage activity to the harder reality...

This episode with Chris Blatchford, CTO at Kingfisher, quickly became a conversation about leadership mindset and AI technology. Kingfisher is best known through its brands such as B&Q and Screwfix. Chris described an organisation that treats AI as a board-level capability. Foundations first, so teams can build safely and repeatedly rather than improvising. Kingfisher’s data lake, Nucleus, and...

Jonathon Palmer from LinkedIn and I spoke about creativity emerging as a serious competitive advantage in AI-driven business. Jonathon made a striking point: AI makes execution easier, so the advantage shifts to the human ability to originate ideas, reframe problems, and stay curious. The discussion also challenged a common assumption in B2B ecosystems. Emotion carries more weight than logic in re...

As 2025 ends, thanks to everyone who joined The AI Adoption Podcast. A recurring message is: AI adoption isn't a technology issue alone; it is a strategic transformation, leadership, and human challenge. Regulation & Trust • Regulation isn't the enemy of innovation Lord Tim Clement-Jones • AI adoption only works at scale when regulation is coherent, trusted, and designed to enable innovation,...

AI adoption often looks rational on paper while feeling human in practice. That insight sat at the centre of my conversation with Ian Smith from Baseline, and it informed the tone of our discussion. Ian spoke about reaching a point in his career where technology no longer carried the whole story. Lived experience moved to the forefront. People bring anticipation, uncertainty, curiosity and concern...

In this episode I speak with Paul O’Sullivan, SVP of Solution Engineering for the UKI and Chief Technology Officer for the UK, from Salesforce. Paul traces 75 years of AI development, from early machine intelligence ideas to the breakthroughs that brought us to today’s agentic AI era. Paul explains the shift from traditional workflows to digital workers operating alongside people. AI-enabled reaso...

In this episode of The AI Adoption Podcast, I speak with Heather Black, CEO of Supermums. Heather created Supermums after realising that a flexible, well-paid career in tech was something many mothers could thrive in. Heather explains why she focuses on this demographic. Women remain under-represented in tech, many struggle to return to work after raising children and the gender pay gap persists....

In this episode of The AI Adoption Podcast, I speak with Neha Kabra from McKinsey about how AI is reshaping leadership, customer service, employees’ roles and the expectations placed on boards. Neha explains why legacy leadership approaches are struggling. Many leadership skills remain the same, but the speed of decision making has changed. Early movers are already seeing returns, while others rem...

I recorded this episode with Andrew McNally, who has spent 35 years working across fund management, investment banking and advising family offices. Andrew has witnessed several major technological shifts, including the dot-com boom and bust, and I wanted to hear his view on how today’s AI wave compares. Andrew spoke openly about the financial implications of foundational technologies. He explained...

In this episode of the AI Adoption Podcast, I interviewed Marco Forgione, Director General of the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade. Marco’s extensive experience and knowledge provides deep insights into the strategic use of AI in international trade. He argues that AI is fundamentally changing international trade and provides examples such as companies like Maersk that are u...

In this episode of The AI Adoption Podcast, I speak with Kate Jones, CEO of the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF), which brings together four regulators: Ofcom, the ICO, the CMA and the FCA to work together on regulating online and digital services. We discuss the work does with the Regulatory Innovation Office, which is part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. DRCF...

🎧 In this episode of The AI Adoption Podcast, I speak with Yves Bollinger, General Manager at Plan. Net Studios, part of the Serviceplan Group. We explore the fascinating intersection of AI and blockchain and how decentralised technologies such as the Masumi Protocol built on the Cardano blockchain can establish trust, identity and accountability between millions of AI agents. We explore examples...

In this episode of the AI Adoption Podcast, Alex Dalman from VCCP’s Faith and I discuss the transformative role of combining human ingenuity with AI in the advertising and marketing industry. We explore how AI tools enhance creativity, the ethical implications of AI usage, and innovative campaigns like O2’s 'Daisy vs. Scammers'. Alex explains Generative Engine Optimization, which is the ne...

In this episode of the AI Adoption Podcast, Jenna Shanks from NICE and I talk about the transformative impact of AI on customer experience and operational efficiency. She shares insights on how AI is being integrated across various industries, the cultural shifts required for successful adoption, and the importance of knowledge management. Jenna emphasises the need for organisations to embrace AI...

AI adoption isn’t just for big companies. For the millions of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK, AI could be a lifeline or a threat. In this episode of the AI Adoption Podcast, Baroness Martha Lane Fox and I discuss the impact of AI on SMEs. Martha is a cross-bench member of the House of Lords, President of the British Chamber of Commerce, is on the boards of various companies an...