This special report from National Technology News evaluates the key talking points from the event including everything from data readiness and governance to organisational resistance, sustainability concerns, and the future role of humans in increasingly automated workplaces. AI has moved beyond experimentation and into the mainstream. Across industries, organisations are racing to identify use cases, improve productivity, and demonstrate returns on investment. Yet while enthusiasm remains high, many businesses are discovering that turning AI ambition into measurable operational impact is far more challenging than anticipated.
At a roundtable hosted by National Technology News and InterSystems in Central London, technology leaders, consultants, system integrators, and data specialists gathered to discuss the realities of AI adoption. Organisations across sectors are pursuing AI, real-time analytics, and large-scale digital transformation, yet fragmented data estates and weak data foundations often limit how effectively these initiatives can scale. System integrators are navigating a market where clients demand rapid, measurable results while expecting distinct, differentiated value.
Resistance to AI Adoption
The discussion started by examining the current state of data foundations across organisations and how AI initiatives have evolved over the past couple of years. One senior IT leader who works closely with the insurance industry said that while getting access to good data is important, people need to ask why they need it and what problem they will solve using the data...