Unlocking AI potential  How academia and industry can partner to empower SMEs

Held at Royal Holloway’s Shilling Building in Surrey, the event brought together business leaders, academics, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to explore how inclusive and responsible AI adoption can be achieved across the UK’s SME landscape. The collaboration between DOS and the IoD Surrey & Berkshire Branch reflects our shared commitment to empowering organisations with the insight and tools needed to succeed in the age of AI.

The event highlighted the need for stronger links between education, academia, and business. We agreed that collaboration across these spheres is essential to shape a future in which AI works for everyone. While policymakers play a critical role, it is business leaders, entrepreneurs, academics, and educators who must lead by example. Peer-to-peer learning and cross-sector support will be vital in ensuring SMEs can keep pace with AI’s rapid evolution.

In the UK, ongoing shifts in employment law and pay structures, coupled with rapid advances in AI and automation, are reshaping the labour market. Entry-level roles are being eroded, and redundancies are rising. We must act now to secure future pathways into work, especially for young people. This calls for urgent collaboration between educators and businesses to evolve curricula and create a workforce fit for the future.

Jarmila and I were energised by the level of engagement and the calibre of conversations throughout the day. The event made clear that there is real appetite for cross-sector dialogue and actionable collaboration, and we are committed to supporting this momentum.

As Ambassador for Research at the IoD, I also warmly welcome members to get in touch with me directly to explore how I can support their organisations, connect them with academic expertise, and foster collaborative opportunities with the wider research community.

Accelerating responsible AI adoption

Faisal Khan, Chair of IoD South and Chair of the IoD’s Science, Innovation & Technology Expert Advisory Group, delivered the keynote address. He emphasised the critical importance of responsible innovation and the role of directors in fostering a culture that supports AI adoption while maintaining trust, transparency, and human-centred values. Faisal’s insights resonated strongly with SME leaders in the room, many of whom are navigating new demands and uncertainties as AI technologies become more deeply embedded in everyday business operations.

Rewiring skills for the AI era

Dr Lucy Gill-Simmen, Vice Dean for Education and Student Experience at Royal Holloway, followed with a compelling presentation on how AI is reshaping the nature of work. Drawing on her recent research, Lucy outlined the growing value of human judgement, creativity, and adaptability in an AI-augmented environment. She spoke candidly about the disconnect

between the rapid pace of technological change and the current preparedness of graduates and employees, urging organisations to invest in developing hybrid skill sets that integrate technical capability with human insight.

Strategic AI priorities for directors

Dr Erin Young, Head of Innovation and Technology Policy at the IoD, offered a director-level perspective on the perceived benefits and concerns surrounding AI adoption across sectors. She highlighted ongoing IoD engagement with government to ensure that business voices are reflected across the technology policy landscape, including through the AI Opportunities Action Plan. Her talk was particularly relevant to SMEs facing both opportunities and challenges in implementing AI, ranging from board upskilling and governance to compliance and workforce readiness.

Practical AI tools in action

Gary Hudson, Founder of the Surrey AI Centre and IoD Ambassador for Entrepreneurship, led a practical session showcasing simple and accessible AI tools already being used by local businesses. He demonstrated how SMEs can enhance productivity, improve service delivery, and gain real-time insights without the need for large technical teams or significant investment. Gary’s message was clear: AI is within reach for all businesses, provided they have the right support.

Addressing AI skills inequality

I then presented findings from my British Academy Innovation Fellowship, which focuses on AI upskilling and inclusive delivery models. The session explored the structural barriers many SMEs face—particularly around time, cost, and access to tailored training. I introduced new employer-facing tools we are developing to help businesses identify priority AI skill needs and implement practical strategies to close these gaps. We also discussed the role of local networks, flexible formats, and policy collaboration in tackling inequality in access to AI education.

In her closing remark at the event, Jarmila Yu, Chair of Surrey and Berkshire Branches stated “get close to your business peers. Lean into the support, expertise and network that the IoD and your local branches offer. You’d expect me to say that, but it really is more important than ever. In fact, the IoD offerings are available for members and non-members. And, there’s no restriction on attendance of national or branch events, they are all open to directors and aspiring directors. We have a volunteer branch network and branch activity to ensure there’s activity up and down the country not just in London or in major city areas, that’s supplementary and complementary to the IoD national membership benefits and activity. Keep in touch with us and encourage your business peers to also.”

Audience dialogue and future steps

The day concluded with a vibrant audience Q&A moderated by Professor Anica Zeyen (RHUL) and Raj Rutah (IoD), followed by closing reflections from Professor Christos Tsinopoulos, myself, and Jarmila Yu, Chair of IoD Surrey & Berkshire. The discussions surfaced real enthusiasm for further collaboration between academia and industry—especially in areas like joint research, executive training, and regional policy influence.

Executive education: Leadership in the age of AI

In response to the needs highlighted at this event, we are proud to offer a new Executive Education Programme: Leadership in the Age of AI at Royal Holloway. This short course is designed for business leaders, directors, and senior decision-makers looking to enhance their strategic capabilities in AI adoption.

Running in September 2025, the course equips participants to:

• Understand and apply AI tools to organisational strategy
• Navigate ethical and governance challenges in AI use
• Lead AI-driven change while maintaining a strong human-centred approach
• Build resilience and creativity within teams during technological transformation

You can find full details here.

To introduce the course, we are also offering a free online session on Wednesday 23 July, titled “Leading with AI: Unlocking Strategic Advantage.” The session provides a taster of the programme and offers attendees a practical framework—our AI Opportunity Map—to help identify strategic use cases for AI in their own roles and organisations.

Register here via Eventbrite.

The RHUL–DOS–IoD event clearly showed that SMEs are eager for direction, practical insight, and credible support when it comes to AI. Through evidence-based research, collaborative events, and targeted executive training, we aim to ensure that business leaders are equipped to lead with confidence in this fast-changing environment.

This is a guest article which contains the views of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of the IoD.