From predictive maintenance at Rolls-Royce to hyper-personalised retail at John Lewis, AI is reshaping operations, decision-making, workforce productivity, and competitiveness across every major sector.

According to the UK Government’s AI Opportunity Forum, AI could contribute £119 billion to the UK economy. But this potential can only be unlocked by businesses that look beyond surface-level tools and embed AI into their operations through tailored, scalable software solutions.

While much public attention is still focused on chatbots and novelty applications, the real value of AI lies in its ability to automate repetitive tasks, optimise workflows, unlock operational insight—and crucially—free up teams to focus on high-value, strategic work.

Major firms across the UK are already demonstrating this. Rolls-Royce is reducing engineering downtime through predictive AI, John Lewis is applying visual AI to deliver hyper-personalised shopping experiences, and Lloyds Bank is strengthening fraud detection through real-time analytics. Meanwhile, a Microsoft 365 Copilot pilot within the UK Civil Service has helped employees reclaim the equivalent of two working weeks each year through smart automation.

For HR leaders and business strategists, these examples highlight a pressing need: AI-readiness is no longer just an IT issue, it’s a workforce productivity issue. To unlock the benefits, organisations must move beyond off-the-shelf platforms and recognise that bespoke software is key to meaningful AI adoption. Tailored systems enable integration with a business’s unique data, workflows, and employee needs.

David Ritchie, Co-founder of bespoke software consultancy Propel Tech, comments: “AI is not a magic bolt-on. For it to work at scale and deliver real value, businesses need systems that reflect their own data, processes, and ambitions. Bespoke, AI-ready infrastructure is how leading organisations are turning hype into results.”

As AI adoption accelerates, modernising digital infrastructure is no longer a ‘nice to have’, it’s essential. With data volumes surging across sectors, organisations must be ready to handle, analyse and act on large amounts of information. Those that delay risk falling behind on productivity, losing top talent to more agile competitors, and becoming locked into legacy systems that can’t adapt or scale.

To support organisations on this journey, Propel Tech is offering a free Software Health Check. The service helps businesses assess the current state of their systems and identify areas where targeted improvements can increase efficiency, unlock value, and support readiness for AI adoption, all without disrupting live services.

Ritchie concludes: “Businesses that act now, with the right infrastructure and a pragmatic approach, will be best positioned to lead in the next era of digital transformation.”