AI and data are two of the main cornerstones of technology in business – with the former often helping unlock insights hidden within the latter. And UK businesses are uniquely situated to take advantage of the promise of both, thanks to the position the country holds in the world.
There are more data centres in the UK than any other country in the world, except the US and Germany. The country punches above its weight in its data might, ranking seventh when graded by GDP.
At the same time, the UK is leading Europe in AI-created jobs and companies. There are currently 360,000 AI related jobs in the UK, contributing $2.2bn in annual GDP. By 2030, AI will boost the UK economy by 10%, according to PwC.
“AI can unlock GDP growth at a rate that’s unprecedented in recent years,” says Kevin Dallas, CEO of EDB, a leading Postgres data and AI company. “The forecast would suggest a 1.5 percentage point annual growth rate – just from AI. Compare that to the first quarter overall GDP growth rate this year, which was annualised at just 0.7%.”
Harnessing the power of AI
The numbers speak for themselves. But AI and data will change so much for businesses beyond the typical ROI metrics. In an EDB survey of C-suite executives, respondents said that AI could help bring return on investment by unlocking agility and competitive advantages. In addition, respondents also felt AI could open up the capacity for innovation – which would in turn create better margins.
“The question is how, not if, your organisation can transform to be a data and AI platform-based infrastructure,” says Dallas. AI is becoming a focal discussion point in the enterprises EDB surveyed, with 59% of businesses in the United States, 63% in the UK and 66% in Germany saying it’s a vital topic when considering future technology strategy.
However, simply having AI within your business is not a guarantor of success. The ability to operate and work at very high speeds with AI and data is seen as a near-universal prerequisite for success among respondents, with at least four in five C-suite representatives across the United States (84%), the UK (81%) and Germany (81%) agreeing with its importance.
Rewriting your business plan
Harnessing AI at speed means new thinking about effective, AI-literate infrastructure has to take place. “Organisations need to develop, consume and operationalise their AI and data for their own platforms, wherever, however and whenever they want,” says Dallas. “It’s this idea of your organisation becoming a data and AI platform that is going to drive success.”
IDC estimates that 90% of all data collected by enterprises is unstructured and therefore its real value has yet to be discovered. Adding structure to that data is the promise AI can bring to businesses. To achieve the most from the technology, businesses need to follow three key steps.
First key for success: You need a sovereign AI and data platform
Much of the value of a business’s future data will come from the idea of being able to access it anytime, anywhere - while staying compliant. AI should only be restricted by your industry standards and regional governments. This means data will be on your premises, in your private clouds and maybe public clouds.
Second key for success: observability is critical across your data estate for AI success
Organisations infusing AI into their mission-critical workloads also need to ensure there is observability across these data estates and workflows. “Observability is crucial: AI has an insatiable appetite for data from a plethora of sources, and businesses need visibility into this process across their various data estates,” says Dallas.
Simply adding AI into your company’s mission-critical workloads is not enough: you need to be able to see how it is helping your firm and adapt to its findings. Success will be driven by observing data when, where and how you need to.
Third key for success: in an uncertain future, open source is vital
At this stage of the AI revolution, it is impossible to predict the full direction of data and AI platforms, so choice is essential. Secure, compliant and enterprise grade AI and data in an increasingly open-source world is part of this future. Four in 10 leaders in the US, UK and Germany reported that data platforms such as Postgres will be considered for their next major AI project.
“Companies need solutions that are flexible enough to run both in the cloud or on-premises depending on their specific needs and workloads,” says Dallas. “AI is still a new frontier, so companies should opt for technologies like Postgres, which have an extensible underlying data model that also provides ongoing support as they navigate building these novel intelligent applications.”
Unlocking opportunities
EDB is the leading contributor to the fast-growing open-source database, Postgres. The company works with businesses to help them unlock AI and data opportunities.
AI, data and Postgres are already being combined to make a dramatic difference to our planet, in ways far beyond initial expectations of technology. The Wildlife Conservation Society uses this technology to track the real-time health of coral reefs that drive the livelihood of over 500 million people.
Companies need solutions that are flexible enough to run both in the cloud or on-premises depending on their specific needs and workloads
“Making data accessible to all users, across different environments and applications, is crucial in the era of AI, especially when it comes to protecting our world’s oceans,” says Dallas. “With more than 35 years of continuous development, Postgres stands as the most adaptable and versatile database, relied upon by millions of nonprofits, government bodies and businesses. What we are witnessing now is that Postgres can significantly contribute to the future of our planet.”
This is just one example of how AI, data and Postgres can make an impact. To welcome digital transformation into their own organisations, leaders will need to redraw their business plans. Companies will need access to their data and AI platform when, where and how they need it, without disturbing the mission-critical operations that are running a business day in, day out.
“There will be new ecosystems that will need to wrap around your business as an AI and data platform, because open source done right will deliver value far greater than the sum of all the parts,” says Dallas.
Firms will need to infuse their AI models into their business, where, when and how they want. As a result, leaders will need to be constantly vigilant to ensure that data is secure and compliant as it is moving and working across their whole data estate.
This all requires a level of observability across data estates that is currently not common practice. “It’s a hard task,” says Dallas. “But enterprise-grade Postgres delivers each of these key components of success for your AI and data platform future.” IT leaders driving digital transformation must harness the potential of data and AI, with those in the UK uniquely positioned to lead the charge.
