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How ready are organisations really for AI?
New research into UK local authorities reveals why governance, leadership and culture matter more than technology alone.

In this episode of Future Ready Insights, host Darren Winter speaks with researchers from Heriot-Watt University and GoLLM about their latest study into the AI readiness of UK local authorities.

Although focused on councils, the discussion highlights lessons relevant to any organisation navigating artificial intelligence adoption. The research shows that while ambition for AI is high, many organisations face barriers, including limited resources, leadership capability gaps, governance challenges, and uncertainty about long-term strategy.

The episode explores:
• What “AI readiness” really means in practice
• Why strong governance and leadership matter more than technology alone
• Differences in digital maturity across UK regions
• How the UK’s innovation-focused approach compares internationally
• The importance of skills, trust, and organisational culture
• Practical steps organisations can take before investing heavily in AI

The conversation also explores wider issues such as sustainability, infrastructure planning, regulation, and how governments are balancing innovation with responsible AI adoption.

Whether you work in the public sector, private industry, education, or digital leadership, this episode offers practical insights into how organisations can move from experimentation to responsible, scalable AI use.

Download the research report: https://dave.go-llm.ai/ai-readiness-r...

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to AI Readiness Research
02:19 Origins of the Research Collaboration
05:04 Understanding AI Readiness for Local Authorities
07:42 Key Findings from the Research
09:26 Geographical Insights on AI Adoption
11:53 Policy and Governance in AI
15:33 The Importance of Governance in AI Adoption
20:02 Leadership and Organisational Capacity for AI
22:00 Comparative Analysis with Global Peers
27:13 UK Government Strategies for AI
30:55 Long-term Planning for AI Integration
33:38 Next Steps for Organisations
37:39 Future Research Directions

About our guests

GoLLM
Daniel Shorr, CEO of GoLLM
James McConnell, consultant GoLLM and BCS AI Accredited Trainer for Duco Digital Training
Alvira Khan, Erin John, researchers at GoLLM
https://dave.go-llm.ai/
GoLLM is an Edinburgh-based, government-funded AI company that offers D.A.V.E. (Dynamic Analytics Visualisation Engine), which standardises and accelerates insight production across Customer, People, and Research teams - reducing analyst time and enabling timely interventions. It digests survey and other feedback data and produces consistent, executive-ready reporting for clients globally, at scale, with governance and auditability by design.

Heriot-Watt University
Luciana Blaha, Lecturer and Lead at the Intelligent Automation Systems Lab
https://www.hw.ac.uk/
Heriot-Watt is a specialist university in Edinburgh with a global presence
Intelligent Automation Systems Lab
https://www.iasystems-lab.co.uk/

Resources and organisations mentioned in the podcast

AI Opportunities Action Plan
https://www.gov.uk/government/publica...
Alan Turing Institute
http://turing.ac.uk/
APSE
https://www.apse.org.uk/index.cfm/apse/
Childrens parliament
https://www.childrensparliament.org.uk/
Coram-i
https://www.coram.org.uk/what-we-do/o...
Digital Catapult
https://www.digicatapult.org.uk/
EPSRC
https://www.ukri.org/councils/epsrc/
Future Life Institute
https://futureoflife.org
ICO
https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/...
Interface Scotland
https://interface-online.org.uk/
LGA
https://www.local.gov.uk/
National AI Alliance
https://businessaialliance.org
Office for Artificial Intelligence (part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
https://www.gov.uk/government/organis...
Scottish AI Alliance
https://www.scottishai.com/
Socitm - Society For Innovation Technology and Modernisation
https://socitm.net/

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