Britain is approaching a tipping point in artificial intelligence adoption as companies move from testing to deploying the technology and seeing returns, according to Google Cloud vice president Maureen Costello. Costello said organizations that were experimenting a year ago are now using AI in more complex operations to improve productivity, with the shift evident across sectors including retail and government. She cited AI-powered shopping tools developed by British e-commerce firm THG that have boosted customer spending, as well as public-sector applications designed to speed up planning decisions. Costello said Britain is leading in this space, pointing to research capabilities and institutions such as Google DeepMind in London, and noted Google research suggesting AI could increase productivity by about 20%, effectively giving business owners a day back each week. The pace of future adoption will depend on investment in skills, leadership engagement, and trust in areas such as security and data sovereignty, she added.
DeepMind in London mentioned as a leading research institution, reinforcing its reputation and potential demand for its AI capabilities.
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