By coincidence, the two-day DTX + UCX Manchester event fell on the 57th anniversary of the premiere of 2001: A Space Odyssey. But far from fearing HAL-like malevolent artificial intelligence, today's business leaders are embracing AI with strategic enthusiasm, alongside comprehensive digital transformation strategies incorporating cybersecurity, cloud and customer experience, writes Oliver Pickup
On April 2, 1968, 2001: A Space Odyssey premiered at the Uptown Theatre in Washington, D.C. The 57th anniversary of Stanley Kubrick's seminal sci-fi classic coincided with the opening day of Manchester Tech Week's flagship event, DTX + UCX Manchester, offering an irresistible parallel to reflect upon.
In 1968, the sentient computer HAL 9000's chilling, emotionless voice and cold-hearted actions represented humanity's deepest anxieties about artificial intelligence. Fast-forward to 2025, and the halls of DTX + UCX Manchester buzzed with excitement rather than fear about AI's transformative potential, alongside crucial conversations about cybersecurity, cloud innovation, and customer experience transformation.
Britain's most successful female Olympian, Dame Laura Kenny, sprinkled gold dust on the event opening, interviewed by techUK's Director of Technology and Innovation, Sue Daley OBE. The five-time Olympic gold medallist, now expecting her third child, shared powerful insights on teamwork and mental strength that resonated strongly with the tech audience.
"Being part of a team all striving for the same thing … when it's all working well, there is no feeling like it,” said the 32-year-old cycling legend. Her experiences of building trust and collaborating towards a shared goal offered striking parallels for the technology sector's collaborative challenges.
As the anchor event of Manchester Tech Week, the expo showcased how far we've come from science fiction to practical implementation across multiple technology domains. Indeed, a ribald joke circulated at technology conferences at the end of the last decade. AI for business was like teenagers and sex: everyone talked about it, but few actually got it.
At DTX + UCX Manchester 2025, it became abundantly clear that organisations across sectors are not merely talking about AI but implementing it at scale with measurable results. Indeed, this year alone, AI is expected to contribute $15.7 trillion to the global economy, according to PwC calculations.
The event theme, "innovation with integrity, driving value, delivering purpose", served as the perfect lens to examine how businesses are navigating not just the AI revolution, but comprehensive digital transformation spanning cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, and customer experience. One consistent message emerged across panels, workshops and keynotes: success with AI stems not from technology for technology's sake but from aligning implementations with genuine business needs.
Finding real value in AI implementation
The main-stage panel I moderated, The Next Wave: How to Create and Execute an AI Action Plan for Innovation, Creativity and Growth, brought together experts from diverse sectors to share practical insights on moving beyond AI hype to meaningful implementation.
Suzanne Ellison, Head of Product at Lloyds Banking Group, shared how a knowledge management tool, now used by 21,000 colleagues across contact centres and branch networks, has reduced time spent finding information by 50% while improving customer response times by up to 30%.
"We've invested enormously in terms of scale," Ellison explained. "We've injected our content and data into that knowledge base to make sure it's really accurate."
Steve Young, SVP & MD of Dell Technologies UK, described how "Dell Chat", an internal AI tool, allows sales teams to access information across previously siloed data instantly. The ability to reach data within seconds "has been a game changer for our organisation from a productivity perspective", Young stressed.
From scattergun to strategy
A recurring theme across sessions was the initial temptation to try AI everywhere before refocusing on strategic value. Adam Platt, Chief Technology Officer at Forge Holiday Group, admitted starting with a "scattergun, let's try and do everything" approach before being smarter.
The vital lesson learned? "It always comes back to business strategy and all the AI methods that can help us achieve that business strategy. And if AI doesn't align with business strategy, forget about it."
Young echoed this sentiment, describing how Dell appointed a Chief AI Officer to consolidate initiatives, narrowing 800 potential use cases to 12-15 focused on core business outcomes. "We started off with lots of group projects all over the place, but then we created the role," Young explained. The approach proved effective.
The panel offered practical advice on scaling beyond proof-of-concept, with Microsoft’s Chief Digital and Technology Officer for Government, Andrew Allen, advocating a balanced approach to innovation and governance.
"You've got to find a way to not wait too long for the perfect moment because it's moving at 100 miles an hour," Allen advised. "You have to set the right government environment to allow employees to have access to some of the technology to experiment."
This "don't wait for perfect data" philosophy was reinforced by Young, who suggested organisations should "get started, get learning and evolve" rather than waiting for perfect conditions.
Ellison emphasised the importance of building AI literacy across organisations. Lloyds has trained over 100 data specialists and taken senior leaders through a six-month Cambridge education programme, creating what she called a "ground and knowledge talent pipeline" essential for successful implementation.
Accelerating AI's capabilities and the governance challenge
The pace of AI development formed a sobering backdrop to many discussions. Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, was quoted from the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier in 2025: "What I've seen inside Anthropic and over the last few months led me to believe that we're on track for human-level systems that surpass humans in every task within 2-3 years."
This prediction, highlighted by Piers Linney, former Dragons' Den investor and Co-Founder at Implement AI, gave urgency to discussions around how organisations should prepare for increasingly capable AI systems. Linney emphasised that current technological capabilities represent "dial-up internet" compared to what's coming, suggesting businesses need to implement what works today while preparing for rapid advancements.
Experts tackled the crucial question of balancing innovation with appropriate controls in a separate panel on AI governance. The consensus was clear: Governance shouldn't be seen as a hindrance but as an enabler of sustainable AI adoption.
Simon Haywood, Senior IT Manager of Data Governance and Operations at Kellanova, highlighted the challenges of implementing governance in large organisations. "My data governance team is literally two people. So me and two people cannot govern effectively all of our enterprise data," he explained, emphasising the need to educate business units to take ownership of their data.
This theme of education extended to discussions of AI ethics, with Fay Churchill, Head of Data Science at ITV, stressing the importance of communication with governance teams: "Don't take for granted that your governance and legal team will understand how your data science works."
Will AI steal our jobs?
Another panel tackled the perennial concern about technology’s impact on the workforce. Rather than reinforcing fears, speakers offered a more nuanced perspective on managing technological change while alleviating panic.
The session explored how organisations can develop compelling visions to inspire transformation, addressing three key challenges: developing a vision that connects with employees, integrating new technologies by addressing fears empathetically, and using upskilling opportunities to build confidence.
Katie Fox, Head of IT at Princes, stressed that everyone wants to know "what's in it for me? How will it make my day easier and better?" She explained: "Learning to work together with AI will make you a better person, more productive, more creative."
The panel consensus was that fear of the unknown often represents the biggest barrier to AI adoption. Demystifying the technology through clear communication, education and involvement was seen as crucial.
Seven key takeaways from DTX + UCX Manchester 2025
Throughout the event, several essential insights emerged for businesses pursuing digital transformation:
- Start with business problems, not technology: Successful implementation begins with identifying genuine business needs rather than deploying technology for its own sake.
- Integrate security from the start: As digital transformation accelerates, security must be built into processes rather than bolted on afterwards.
- Don't wait for perfect data: Get started despite limitations, using feedback loops for continuous improvement.
- Foster digital literacy across the organisation: Building capability at all levels, from leadership programmes to practical training, is crucial for adoption.
- Experiment but set boundaries: Create frameworks that allow innovation while maintaining appropriate governance.
- Measure what matters: Look beyond simple efficiency metrics to understand how technology impacts customer experience and business outcomes.
- Balance innovation and human needs: Technology should augment human capabilities, not replace them.
Fifty-seven years after HAL's fictional debut, the tech industry has moved from sci-fi fears to pragmatic implementation. As DTX + UCX Manchester demonstrated, successful digital transformation isn't through uncritical enthusiasm or fearful resistance but thoughtful alignment with business strategy, appropriate governance, and a focus on genuine human needs.