Deputy Chief Constable Maggie Blyth, NPCC VAWG Taskforce Lead

Talking 5 interview with Richard Gutsell, Client Partner, Government and Defence, Version 1

Nardos Abraham of Littlefish Group argues that public sector organisations need a clear picture of their existing technology, data and workflows before they can scale AI safely. She sets out the governance questions leaders should answer first, warning that AI risks speeding up complexity that’s already there rather than reducing it.

Will Semple of Sopra Steria Next UK argues that government should modernise through its legacy systems rather than replace them wholesale, using incremental, outcome-led change to reduce risk and free up budget for innovation. He warns that AI can’t make up for poor data and fragmented systems, so those foundations need fixing first.

Richard Bailey of Jisc argues that buying public sector technology on lowest initial price locks organisations into legacy IT and technical debt. He shows how early market engagement and sector-negotiated agreements can secure added value, such as funding, migration support and training, that goes beyond the headline discount.

Rita Mantler of Telescopic argues that because every new system eventually becomes legacy, government should look at what’s actually stopping people from working before replacing a system that already does its job. She shows how connecting existing systems, and building small AI-assisted add-ons, can often achieve more than a costly replacement.

Craig Cook of Catapult CX argues that public sector transformation has to start by making legacy systems safe to change, not treat them as a separate technical problem. He sets out a diagnose, prioritise and modernise approach, using the UK Ship Register as an example of value delivered along the way.