UK set to lead agentic AI revolution
Salesforce has unveiled the findings of its UK AI Readiness Index, signalling the nation is in a position to spearhead the next wave of AI innovation, also known as agentic AI.
The report places the UK ahead of its G7 counterparts in terms of AI adoption but also underscores areas ripe for improvement, such as support for SMEs, fostering cross-sector partnerships, and investing in talent development.
Zahra Bahrololoumi CBE, UKI CEO at Salesforce, commented: “Agentic AI is revolutionising enterprise software by enabling humans and agents to collaborate seamlessly and drive customer success.
“The UK AI Readiness Index positively highlights that the UK has both the vision and infrastructure to be a powerhouse globally in AI, and lead the current third wave of agentic AI.”
UK AI adoption sets the stage for agentic revolution
The Index details how both the public and private sectors in the UK have embraced AI’s transformative potential. With a readiness score of 65.5, surpassing the G7 average of 61.2, the UK is establishing itself as a hub for large-scale AI projects, driven by a robust innovation culture and pragmatic regulatory approaches.
The government has played its part in maintaining a stable and secure environment for tech investment. Initiatives such as the AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park and risk-oriented AI legislation showcase Britain’s leadership on critical AI issues like transparency and privacy.
Business readiness is equally impressive, with UK industries scoring 52, well above the G7 average of 47.8. SMEs in the UK are increasingly prioritising AI adoption, further bolstering the nation’s stance in the international AI arena.
Adam Evans, EVP & GM of Salesforce AI Platform, is optimistic about the evolution of agentic AI. Evans foresees that, by 2025, these agents will become business-aware—expertly navigating industry-specific challenges to execute meaningful tasks and decisions.
Investments fuelling AI growth
Salesforce is committing $4 billion to the UK’s AI ecosystem over the next five years. Since establishing its UK AI Centre in London, Salesforce says it has engaged over 3,000 stakeholders in AI training and workshops.
Key investment focuses include creating a regulatory bridge between the EU’s rules-based approach and the more relaxed US approach, and ensuring SMEs have the resources to integrate AI. A strong emphasis also lies on enhancing digital skills and centralising training to support the AI workforce of the future.
Feryal Clark, Minister for AI and Digital Government, said: “These findings are further proof the UK is in prime position to take advantage of AI, and highlight our strength in spurring innovation, investment, and collaboration across the public and private sector.
“There is a global race for AI and we’ll be setting out plans for how the UK can use the technology to ramp-up adoption across the economy, kickstart growth, and build an AI sector which can scale and compete on the global stage.”
Antony Walker, Deputy CEO at techUK, added: “To build this progress, government and industry must collaborate to foster innovation, support SMEs, invest in skills, and ensure flexible regulation, cementing the UK’s leadership in the global AI economy.”
Agentic AI boosting UK business productivity
Capita, Secret Escapes, Heathrow, and Bionic are among the organisations that have adopted Salesforce’s Agentforce to boost their productivity.
Adolfo Hernandez, CEO of Capita, said: “We want to transform Capita’s recruitment process into a fast, seamless and autonomous experience that benefits candidates, our people, and our clients.
“With autonomous agents providing 24/7 support, our goal is to enable candidates to complete the entire recruitment journey within days as opposed to what has historically taken weeks.
Secret Escapes, a curator of luxury travel deals, finds autonomous agents crucial for personalising services to its 60 million European members.
Kate Donaghy, Head of Business Technology at Secret Escapes, added: “Agentforce uses our unified data to automate routine tasks like processing cancellations, updating booking information, or even answering common travel questions about luggage, flight information, and much more—freeing up our customer service agents to handle more complex and last-minute travel needs to better serve our members.”
The UK’s AI readiness is testament to the synergy between government, business, and academia. To maintain its leadership, the UK must sustain its focus on collaboration, skills development, and innovation.
(Photo by Matthew Wiebe)
See also: Generative AI use soars among Brits, but is it sustainable?
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