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With the rapid adoption of AI and Machine Learning, the implications and challenges for its supporting digital infrastructure in the UK are becoming more apparent. Needless to say, this uptake will change the face of the digital infrastructure sector and cloud providers, which will need to upgrade to transition into accelerated computing and generative AI.
Some of the challenges that have surfaced include reports identifying this growth to be resource intensive, from energy to water, with a simultaneous push for further sustainability and to meet ambitious net zero targets. Furthermore, earlier this year techUK published its AI Adoption in the UK report which highlighted insufficient compute infrastructure as being one of the most significant barriers to AI adoption.
Join techUK for a Chatham House Rules in-person roundtable hosted by Shoosmiths, where AI companies will have the opportunity to forecast what future demand for compute from data centres may look like within their organisations, to ensure that data centres and the digital infrastructure sector have the provisions in place to meet the growing demand from the sector.
Against the backdrop of an upcoming general election, the roundtable will provide a forum to gather industry insights and put forward recommendations to government in order to realise the UK's AI potential.
Indicative agenda
Speakers:
Shoosmiths is the law firm clients choose for excellent service, incisive thinking and above all for its ability to focus on what matters.
From offices across the UK and Brussels, the firm supports some of the world’s most exciting and ambitious businesses; amazing clients making an impact.
Shoosmiths empowers its people to be their authentic selves and deliver together in supportive teams committed to excellence and innovation. The firm has won prestigious industry awards, such as ‘Law Firm of the Year’ at the Legal Business Awards 2022, ‘Legal Team of the Year’ at the Estates Gazette Awards 2022 and has been recognised for being the most active law firm advising on corporate transactions across the UK (Experian, 2022). The firm has also been ranked by the Financial Times as one of the most innovative law firms in Europe (FT Innovative Lawyers Report, 2023). Shoosmiths’ innovative approach is also embodied in its non-legal solutions for clients, which complement its technical legal expertise.
The firm also believes in supporting the communities in which it operates, and it is firmly on its ESG journey, with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) validating near-term science-based emissions reduction targets, and launching grant-making body ‘The Shoosmiths Foundation’. To find out more about Shoosmiths and the positive impact the firm is making across its clients, people, and ESG and innovations, please visit: Impact report 2023 (shoosmiths.com).
Luisa C. Cardani is the Head of the Data Centres Programme at techUK, aiming to provide a collective voice for UK operators and working with government to improve business environment for the data centres sector.
Prior to joining techUK, Luisa worked in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport as the Head of International Data Protection, where she led on the development of elements of the UK's data protection and privacy policy. In her role, she was also the UK official representative for the EOCD Privacy Guidelines Informal Advisory Group.
She has held a number of position in government, including leading on cross-cutting data provisions in the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, and in high priority cross-departmental projects when working in the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
She holds an M.Sc. from University College London's Department of Political Sciences.
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Chairing the session is Katherine, techUK’s Head of Data Analytics, AI and Digital ID. Prior to techUK, Katherine worked as a Policy Advisor at the Government Digital Service (GDS) supporting the digital transformation of UK Government. Whilst working at the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) Katherine led AMRC’s policy work on patient data, consent and opt-out. Katherine has a BSc degree in Biology from the University of Nottingham.
Alex is a Partner and AI lead in the Commercial team with a particular focus on technology and outsourcing, advising clients on all aspects of their business-critical IT systems and related business functions, as well as wider technology-based commercial contracts, software licensing and information law.
Alex works with business and legal teams to deliver complex technology transactions, representing clients on the procurement of large-scale, transformational IT systems, with particular expertise in the automotive, healthcare and financial service sectors.
In addition, Alex has advised on numerous critical public sector IT contracts for UK Government, including for the implementation and delivery of systems underpinning the DWP’s Universal Credit programme and the £1bn BPO of administrative and payment systems supporting the NHS’ primary care operations in England. Alex currently sits on the Nations and Regions Council at techUK.
