Technology
As AI expands into physical operations, three quarters of enterprises report device problems
AI’s expansion into cameras, sensors and industrial equipment risks being held back by device reliability problems, states a new research by IoT connectivity specialist, Eseye, called “2026 State of IoT Adoption Report”. Eseye questioned 1,200 enterprise IoT
decision makers across the UK and the US, and found that over 76% claim most of their IoT project failures stem from problems at device level, with 29% identifying unreliable data as a barrier or risk to effective AI deployment. Te findings come as manufacturers develop
AI capabilities for a wider range of equipment. Qualcomm announced new processors in September 2026, designed for applications including industrial controllers, retail systems and building management devices. AI is expanding what connected equipment
can do, enabling devices to interpret images and sensor readings and help determine responses and tasks. Some 76% want devices to become more intelligent and process data locally, capabilities that can support those AI applications. “Making AI work in physical operations
starts with devices that can deliver reliable data. Businesses need to test how hardware, soſtware and connectivity work together under real operating conditions before deployment. Devices then need to be able to detect a connection problem and recover or switch to another suitable network,” said Paul Marshall, Eseye Co-Founder. “Businesses also need to decide which data to process locally and which to send elsewhere. A factory camera might identify a possible defect and
send selected images for further analysis, while receiving updated AI models from a central system. Te aim is to move the information the application needs reliably and at the right time.” In addition, nearly three quarters (74.5%)
of Eseye’s survey respondents find managing multiple SIMs and connectivity platforms from different providers time consuming. “Across a large device estate, those network
decisions need to be coordinated,” said David Langton, Chief Marketing Officer at Eseye. “Connectivity orchestration brings network selection, eSIM profiles and policies under common management, so routine changes can be automated across providers. Tat can help maintain the flow of useful data between devices and AI applications as network conditions change.”
Northern Ireland AI companies pitch for growth opportunities as £500m UK Sovereign AI Fund visits Belfast
At the beginning of October, Belfast was a host to some 100 founders, investors, industry leaders and policymakers who attended the UK Sovereign AI Fund: Northern Ireland Launch. A private pitching session gave Northern Ireland AI companies access to the team behind the £500m fund, one of the UK’s most significant new AI initiatives. Te event aimed to afford Northern Ireland
the opportunity to play a greater role in the UK’s future AI economy, bringing together people involved in building, funding, researching and supporting AI technology companies across the region. According to the Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Centre (AICC), Northern Ireland already boasts some 400 AI companies, with AI- related employment rising to nearly 2500 full-time roles, and an estimated AI-related gross value added (GVA) at £214m. “Northern Ireland’s AI ecosystem is developing rapidly, with growing strength
across our companies, talent and research capability. Te opportunity now is to convert that momentum into sustainable economic impact by connecting businesses here with the investment, markets and national opportunities that can help them scale,” said David Crozier CBE, Director of the AICC (pictured right). Te Belfast programme also featured a
‘Lessons from the Journey’ panel, covering the practical realities of building, funding and scaling technology businesses. “Te strongest innovation ecosystems
are no longer built on the traditional triple helix of universities, government and industry alone. Research from MIT shows they also depend on entrepreneurs, who build the companies of the future, and on risk capital to back them. Te Census shows that entrepreneurial strand strengthening quickly in Northern Ireland, with the number of micro AI firms more than
04 November 2026
www.electronicsworld.co.uk
Joséphine Kant, Investment Partner at Sovereign AI, and David Crozier, Director of the Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Centre (AICC)
doubling in a single year. Convening all five of those stakeholders, founders, investors, universities, government and industry is our key role, while ensuring the region has a strong voice in the national conversations shaping the future of AI,” said Crozier.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
