AI
AI RISING – BUT
CAN THE CHANNEL MEET IT?
As the UK sharpens its national AI ambitions, Hollie Whittles, Vice Chair of the Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA) UK & Ireland Executive Council, explores what this accelerating policy focus means for channel partners navigating skills gaps, customer expectations, and the race to stay relevant.
A
Hollie Whittles, Vice Chair of the Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA) UK & Ireland Executive Council
I’s potential, and the opportunities it presents for the UK, are firmly in the spotlight. Having attended an AI
reception at Number 10 in February, it was clear to me that the government believes the channel has a major role to play in facilitating national ambitions for the UK to become a global leader in artificial intelligence. Hosted by the Prime Minister, Keir Starmer,
the purpose of the event was to reinforce that message, bringing together key stakeholders to reflect on progress one year on from the launch of the AI Opportunities Action Plan, and to engage those businesses primed to lead on the next phase of its delivery. Britain is currently the third-largest AI market
in the world. Yet within this very Action Plan, the government acknowledges that without concerted action, the UK risks falling behind the advances
12 | March/April 2026
made by the US and China. As a result, it is committed to supporting the AI sector in various ways, as was outlined at the reception. On the night, much of the discussion focused
on getting the basics right, such as building the necessary infrastructure and computing capability across the UK. With many regions lacking reliable connectivity, the PM shone a spotlight on the need to prioritise upgrades to ensure all organisations can benefit from AI, not just those in major cities. Public services were another major focus. If
public sector bodies and central government departments are expected to use AI safely, they must consider taking account of legal considerations, ethics, data protection, privacy, security and governance – as per the AI playbook for the UK government. Tese expectations extend across public-sector supply chains, meaning that private-sector partners (particularly
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