Microsoft wants to tackle the biggest issue for UK AI adoption: confidence

The Microsoft AI Tour is now the Microsoft Frontier Tour. A change that reflects the fact that we are no longer at the adoption stage of AI, but are now putting it to work, according to Microsoft.

However, this new frontier is fraught with challenges. One of the biggest of these appears to be a very human problem: confidence. From top to bottom of all businesses, there appears to be a crisis of confidence with AI.

The confidence to use the technology, confidence that it won’t make our working lives worse, and even confidence that it will ultimately deliver a return on investment.

Trust issues were a main theme of Microsoft’s AI Diffusion Report, released ahead of the Tour, which was covered by ITPro. It revealed a stark divide between UK leaders and employees on AI, with eight-in-ten leaders confident the UK can lead in the technology, while only half that number of employees agreed.

The reasons for low employee confidence were varied, though many suggested it had reduced their own job security and also limited opportunities for younger workers.

Speaking on stage, CEO Satya Nadella talked about the importance of the human element with AI.

“How do you put the human in the loop?” he said. “How do you really ensure that, ultimately, that sense of empowerment is not lost?”

Confidence in AI

Microsoft has made substantial commitments to the UK, investing in data centers and partnering with UK organizations like the NHS. And it dedicated a large portion of its keynote to call for more work to be done across the country.

UK and Ireland CEO Darren Hardman used his segment to talk about building confidence in AI across the UK. Laying out the challenge of turning AI’s potential into improvements that people can feel in their work or the services they use, and also the opportunities that are open to them.

“Our role at Microsoft is to bring intelligence and trust together,” Hardman said. “AI that puts your organization’s knowledge to work, helping people achieve more, while providing the safeguards and visibility to stay in control.

“You can give your people a say in how AI changes their work. You can set clear boundaries on the data AI can access. And the actions it can take. With human approval where it matters.”

A key pledge here is observability. Specifically with agents, which have raised questions of governance and control over the last year.

“For a leader, it means being able to answer a very straightforward question: ‘Do I understand and remain in control of what this system is doing?’”

“That is how we put Microsoft's mission into practice with you,” Hardman explained. “Helping people achieve more with the confidence and control to do it responsibly.”

Hardman ended his keynote with a call to action to build more confidence, more skills, and more opportunities in the UK so that AI opens doors for people “whatever their background, wherever they live”.

Talent, as he rightly pointed out, is everywhere in the UK, but there is a responsibility to make sure that the opportunity reaches all of it.

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