News in the Channel - issue #39

GTIA

Ongoing governance Organisations need help monitoring AI use, updating policies, reviewing outputs and staying compliant as the technology evolves. This is a long-term service opportunity for the channel. Strategy must be a priority Of course, to support organisations effectively, channel partners must ensure they have their own coherent AI strategies in place that adhere to the same best practices. It’s therefore critical to establish clear policies and proper guardrails around AI use internally before rolling out external services at scale. For those looking for a proven framework as the basis for this, the GTIA’s Data and AI Guidebook is a logical place to start. Specifically, it provides guidance for understanding how data and AI can drive innovation and deliver long-term value, and outlines practical methodologies, governance models and ethical considerations to ensure responsible and impactful adoption. As a director of Purple Frog Data, which specialises in data and AI, we advocate that the key to building an effective AI strategy is to start from the ground up. That means considering challenges and priorities, followed by data readiness – including accuracy, quality and ownership. Only then should you consider how AI can be applied safely and usefully. For channel partners, this sequenced approach can be used across all customer engagements, turning AI adoption into a structured, repeatable service. Those can develop this offering stand to capitalise on significant, long- term growth opportunities. The government has made it’s AI ambitions clear, and the channel will be central in helping to realise them. The key to success lies in developing and implementing well-defined strategies capable of helping customers deploy AI securely and with purpose. n

ambition, having been deemed as key partners in helping UK organisations scale their AI usage effectively and responsibly. Indeed, the PM highlighted their understanding of the systems, security and data foundations that AI adoption depends on as crucial. In this domain, the channel can play a key role. According to the Federation of Small Businesses, 46% of small businesses lack AI skills. Meanwhile, the UK government’s own AI Adoption Research shows that while just over half of organisations already using AI feel ready to further scale up their use, only a third of those planning to use AI feel ready to implement it. While the government has rolled out the AI Skills Boost programme that aims to train 10 million workers in AI by 2030, the channel can bridge the skills gap and help organisations to move forward with scaling their AI strategies in the immediacy. Here, I believe there are four core opportunities:

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Organisations need help

Education and enablement Many organisations with limited

monitoring AI use, updating policies, reviewing outputs and staying compliant as the technology evolves.

resources that are curious about AI need simple guidance, safe introduction points and support in building confidence, which knowledgeable channel partners can provide. Secure deployment AI tools must be implemented in a way that works with existing systems, identity controls and data protection. This is a natural extension of what many MSPs and ITSPs already offer. Moving from experimentation to integration Rather than being used sporadically, generative AI provides the most value when it’s part of established workflows. Channel partners can help firms to develop these, driving the required changes in culture, thinking and usage.

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