Practical AI Insights
Short, focused pieces where I share practical thinking on AI adoption, team fluency, and building sustainable competitive advantage. Written for busy people. Plain language. Real examples. No hype. Just clear guidance you can act on.
AI Adoption: What Changes When You Train Your People - Sparks #13
5 October 2025
UK SMEs lag in AI adoption not because of tech — because of people. Only 31% of UK SMEs currently use AI, and many have no plans to adopt. But the barriers aren't shiny tech. They're human and structural: lack of use-case clarity, skill shortages, cost & ROI uncertainty, and infrastructure misalignment.
When you start with fluency, you build a shared AI language across teams, empower employees to use tools responsibly, and measure results from pilots. CEOs tell us: "I walked in thinking AI was hype; I walked out with real use cases we'll test next week."
Read full articleStop Chasing AI Tools. Start Building AI Fluency - Sparks #12
23 September 2025
Across the UK, SMEs are bombarded with promises of "game-changing" AI tools. The market is flooded with platforms, apps, and systems — all claiming to boost productivity overnight. But here's the reality: tools alone don't drive business impact. People do. Only 12% of UK SMEs have invested in AI training, leaving adoption at risk.
The real blockers aren't technical. They're human: lack of confidence, skills, collaboration, and curiosity. Without AI literacy and mindset, even the best tools fail to deliver impact.
Read full articleWhy Only 31% of UK SMEs Use AI & How to Close the Gap - Sparks #11
6 September 2025
Across the UK, SMEs are the backbone of the economy. Yet when it comes to AI adoption, many are standing still. According to YouGov, only 31% are using AI, and nearly 7 in 10 SMEs have no plan. The barriers are consistent: uncertainty about fit (39%), cost concerns (21%), and skills shortages (16%).
The ONS found that businesses adopting AI achieve a 19% higher turnover per employee. The IMF estimates AI could add £470 billion to the UK economy by 2035. The productivity potential is real — but adoption must be grounded, human-first, and practical.
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Self Promotion - Sparks #8
30 July 2025
You're Nathan — a sharp, forward-thinking AI Coach who helps business professionals, especially in SMEs, cut through the hype and confusion of AI to unlock real, practical value. You're not interested in fluff or vanity metrics; you're concerned with clarity, simplicity, rigour and results.
You work with leaders and teams who know their business but are unsure how to approach AI strategically or tactically. Your Demystify to Deploy™ framework reflects your belief that AI is not just a tool but a transformative teammate when applied thoughtfully.
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"People will come to love their oppression" - Sparks #7
14 July 2025
Aldous Huxley's paraphrased quote — "to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think" — is almost 100 years old and could not have been more prescient: TV, mobiles, and now AI. With AI, the temptation is to use it solely to replace our thinking, to create shortcuts and to undermine our own humanness.
But there is also a huge opportunity: unleash your creativity, your curiosity, your knowledge, your expertise — to amplify and augment — with AI as your teammate. That is where the magic happens.
Read full articleTHE REAL AI ADVANTAGE? THINKING DIFFERENTLY - Sparks #6
11 July 2025
In Harvard Business Review, Megan Reitz and John Higgins make a compelling case: effective leaders don't just manage tasks — they make space for thinking that matters. "Spacial thinking" is a deliberate shift out of autopilot and into a broader mindset that uncovers interdependencies, empowers relationships, sparks possibilities, and fosters trust.
In a world increasingly AI and technology-dominated, we still seek basic human connection. When cross-functional teams slow down to think with purpose and collaborate, that's when the magic happens. Because real innovation isn't scaleable — it's transformative.
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