AI adoption for UK small businesses
WIth Rich Moloney, Senior Director, Global Integrated Campaigns FOR Sage
AI promises to transform how small businesses work – from streamlining accounting to freeing up time for strategic growth. But between the hype and the headlines, how do you separate genuine value from empty marketing promises? When it’s your business on the line, how do you know which AI solutions you can actually trust? This panel brings together real-world perspectives on AI adoption for UK small businesses. No sales pitches or wild predictions, just honest conversations about what’s working right now and how to take your first steps with confidence.
What you’ll learn
Can you trust AI? Learn practical frameworks for evaluating AI providers, understanding data security, and maintaining transparency in AI-assisted decision-making. What certifications matter? What questions should you ask vendors? How do you ensure you’re not outsourcing critical judgement?
How accurate Is AI, really? In accounting and finance, accuracy isn’t negotiable. Discover how to measure AI output quality, test systems properly, and handle mistakes when they happen. Hear from businesses that have successfully reduced human error through automation.
Where is AI actually adding value? Cut through the noise to identify where AI genuinely helps your business – automating admin, supporting decisions, or buying back time for growth. Learn to evaluate tools based on your actual workflows, not vendor promises.
Managing the change successfully. AI adoption often requires changing established processes. Explore how to overcome team resistance, build confidence through small wins, and integrate new tools without disrupting what already works.
What skills do you need? You don’t need to be technical, but you do need foundational skills. We’ll demystify prompt engineering and explain what “AI skills” actually means in practical terms.
Why humans are still the key. The best AI augments human capabilities rather than replaces them. Learn how to maintain the human touch while leveraging AI to enhance professional judgement and accessibility.
This isn’t another AI hype session. It’s a practical conversation about using AI to run your small business better, right now. You’ll leave with frameworks for evaluation, questions to ask vendors, and confidence to take your next steps.
12th march 2026 - 10:15am
"between the hype and the headlines, how do you separate genuine value from empty marketing promises?"
AIMS
- Demonstrate how business growth stems from small, thoughtful decisions made consistently.
- Highlight the importance of aligning your people, processes, and platforms to customer expectations.
- Provide easy-to-adopt tactics that can immediately improve both internal culture and external experience.
- Encourage leaders to see everyday moments, like making toast, as opportunities to improve.
- Showcase the power of simplicity in driving Continuous Improvement techniques and customer loyalty.
CONTENT
- The anatomy of a slice of toast: using everyday actions to explore improvement, consistency, and creativity.
- Real-life examples of small business changes delivering outsized results.
- Introduction to Carter Consultancy’s five-element framework through the “toast” lens.
- Tools to identify where your business might be burning the toast – and how to fix it.
OUTCOMES
- Discover practical strategies for embedding Continuous Improvement into your business routines.
- Learn how to make customer and employee experiences more intentional, consistent, and engaging.
- Walk away with a renewed mindset for driving growth through simplicity and daily actions.
- Feel empowered to apply change management principles in your business.