AI Success Starts with RPA: Lessons from the UK’s National Plan
Six months after the UK Government published its AI Opportunities Action Plan in January 2025, outlining 50 comprehensive recommendations and projecting £25 billion in potential economic value by 2030 as part of a bold vision for establishing Britain as an AI superpower, businesses are grappling with how to turn ambitious AI visions into operational reality.
Yet buried within the extensive detail of this ambitious strategy lies a fundamental truth that validates what we consistently observe across our Private Equity portfolio companies daily: you cannot skip the foundational elements that make successful automation possible.
Peter Kyle’s comprehensive plan dedicates entire sections to establishing the critical foundations necessary for AI success, including building robust computing infrastructure, securing access to high-quality data, developing thorough talent pipelines, and creating appropriate regulatory frameworks that support innovation while maintaining safety standards.
These foundational elements are not regarded as afterthoughts or secondary considerations; rather, they constitute the essential backbone of the entire national strategy. The plan explicitly states that “AI-driven change must be grounded in operational discipline, process maturity, and automation readiness” – a statement that should resonate remarkably with anyone who has endeavoured to implement intelligent automation in complex business environments.
