By Dave McConachie
From the energy of Turing Fest in Edinburgh to the insights at Fujitsu’s recent “Integrated Intelligence” event in London, one thing is clear: AI is no longer just a tool—it’s becoming the foundation of modern business infrastructure.
As Nina Schick aptly put it in her keynote at Integrated Intelligence, we’re entering the era of the industrialisation of intelligence. AI is evolving from experimental pilots into a strategic layer of infrastructure that can transform how organisations operate – from data to decisions.
So… what does this mean for businesses?
It means the time to act is now. We’re not just experimenting anymore—we’re shifting into the AI era, and those who wait risk falling behind.
As Paul Adams (Intercom) noted at Turing Fest: AI is having its 1999 internet moment. We’re on the steep part of the S-curve of transformation, and the only real questions left are how big and how fast this change will be. The answer? Very big. Very fast.
Here’s why it matters, now more than ever:
- AI unlocks the value of your data – Most organisations are sitting on untapped data. AI turns that raw data into insights, predictions, and decisions at scale. That’s not a “nice-to-have” anymore—it’s a competitive necessity.
- It boosts operational agility – AI can streamline and automate what slows businesses down: data collection, integration, analysis, and reporting. This frees teams to focus on strategic and creative work.
- It drives growth and innovation – With faster insights and better decision-making, organisations can spot opportunities earlier, respond to customer needs faster, and bring new products or services to market more efficiently.
- It’s becoming foundational – Like cloud before it, AI is becoming the underlying layer that enables the modern digital enterprise. Those who embed it into their core systems will shape the future of their industries. Those who don’t risk irrelevance.
And let’s be clear: it’s not about blindly adopting the latest tech. It’s about being intentional—building AI into your organisation in a way that supports people, enhances decision-making, and creates lasting value.
We resonate deeply with this. AI will disrupt how we work, but as a force multiplier – handling complexity, streamlining data operations, and allowing teams to focus on what truly matters: strategy, creativity, and decisions that move the needle.
AI should serve people, not the other way around. That means building systems that support intentional, human-first innovation.