Headlines about AI often focus on the big tech consultancies but smaller, homegrown, companies are the ones deploying AI and developing specialisms.

In the public sector, these SMEs are playing a vital role in applying AI to solve real problems for government.

The government knows that SMEs are key to driving innovation, productivity, and efficiency in the public sector. Its new SME strategy sets out a “national priority for public sector and government contracts” to involve such organisations.

For public sector organisations, working with SMEs can be a powerful way to fill critical gaps in AI skills, strategy, and implementation.

This session will bring together government leaders to discuss:

• The traditional challenges for government to engage with SMEs 
• The benefits that come from working with SMEs and successful examples of collaboration with government
• How the new Procurement Act enables departments to better collaborate with SMEs
• How partnering with more agile, hands-on SMEs can help government develop its own AI capabilities

Speakers

• Chad Bond, Director of Strategy and Innovation, Zaizi
• Paul Edmunds, Chief AI Officer, National Crime Agency
• Michael Padfield, Head of Strategy at Incubator for Artificial Intelligence, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology