The way we connect, communicate, and collaborate continues to evolve, with hybrid working now firmly established across the public and private sectors, and SaaS adoption increasing, as our understanding of these new workflows improves. At the time of writing, it is anticipated that 90% of organisations will rely primarily on SaaS platforms by 2030 - a completely new model of enterprise infrastructure that will free employees of their traditional ties to specific locations and devices.
However, as with any period of intensive digital transformation, potential security vulnerabilities must be given careful consideration. Indeed, 66% of organisations already cite the security of SaaS platforms as their biggest challenge – concerns compounded by a number of recent high-profile incidents where bad actors have utilised security vulnerabilities in SaaS platforms (some caused by misconfiguration, others by simple human error) to gain access to corporations' critical data.
Traditional security ecosystems are typically based on building security around the network and were never designed to accommodate secure remote access at scale. As a result, with many organisations forced to rapidly pivot to hybrid working throughout the COVID-19 lockdowns, security has often become fragmented across multiple users, devices, and locations. Not only does this represent a significant increase in operational overheads, maintaining numerous heavily siloed platforms make the consistent application of corporate security policies and visibility of user devices extremely complex and time-consuming to maintain. As a result, it is far too easy for security vulnerabilities to go undetected until a breach occurs, particularly when we consider the risk of 'shadow IT', where employees are using Cloud and SaaS platforms that have not been validated by corporate security teams as part of their day-to-day work.
While it may be possible to implement security solutions on a case-by-case basis, i.e. the use of VPNs, this will not, ultimately, be sustainable. Not only will it exacerbate the concerns highlighted above, it will also introduce additional latency and complexity that is unacceptable at a time when employees expect critical platforms to always be available and always offer the highest standards of performance.
Taking all these concerns into account, it is clear that we need to rethink the way we design, implement, and manage network security, ensuring policies are applied consistently and correctly for all users and all devices, wherever they are connecting from. Rather than deploying multiple security solutions across a pre-existing network infrastructure, a unified model of network security is required - one that can accommodate the diverse nature of SaaS platforms and the dynamic nature of modern workflows.
FortiSASE offers a single, fully centralised answer to these concerns. A Cloud-based Security Service Edge (SSE) solution, built on Fortinet's best-in-class security platform and delivered as a fully managed service by Exponential-e, FortiSASE intelligently automates that application of corporate security policies across users, devices, and locations, without the complexity of traditional network controls. This way, full control and visibility of all network traffic can be maintained, without compromising the performance and availability of approved SaaS applications.
If you are in any way frustrated by the performance of your critical applications or concerned about the security of your network, get in touch, and our specialists will work closely with you to phase out your legacy systems in favour of next-gen solutions that fully support your specific workflows.
190 Hits
Legacy connectivity technologies, particularly the PSTN and ISDN, have been the foundation of many organisations' communications for some years now, but have increasingly shown their limitations, with aging copper networking increasingly prone to faults and unable to maintaining the resilience and availability that modern voice, email, and video platforms demand. Indeed, PSTN incidents rose by 45% in 2024 alone, with 192 million hours of service lost between 2024 and 2025 - all of which had a serious financial, operational, and reputational impact on the organisations affected1.
In light of this shift, a full switch-off of the PSTN network has been in progress for several years now, and will be concluded by January 2027, after which any organisations that have not migrated to alternative systems will be without voice and broadband services.
Fortunately, all-IP connections offer considerable advantages over these legacy technologies, and so this change represents an ideal opportunity to optimise and futureproof the performance and availability of your voice and broadband services.
What is the PSTN switch-off?
In 2018, BT Openreach announced the long-term plan to transition the whole of the UK from PSTN to IP for all voice calls. To this end, as of September 2023, no new PSTN or ISDN lines will be deployed, in preparation for 2027, when the remaining ones would be permanently switched off. At the time of writing, a stop-sell has been placed on multiple voice products built on these services, meaning existing ones will initially remain in place, but new ones will be withdrawn from sale.
For organisations planning to transfer to new solutions before stop-sells are implemented in their active regions, it is important to be aware that not all services will necessarily be available. For example, in regions where the FTTP priority exchange is in place and FTTP is available at premise level, this is the only service that they will be able to utilise. Outside of these regions, other transitional solutions, such as SoGEA and SoADSL - may be available. All this must be factored into organisations' migration plans.
Why are numerous organisations already embracing IP-based connectivity?
IP technology allows broadband connectivity and compatible digital voice services to operate over the same data network, removing the need for legacy PSTN connectivity. These services can be delivered over a broadband connection, such as FTTP, SoADSL or SoGEA, or over an ethernet service (although the underlying connection does not provide a traditional dial tone as standard).
This will open up a whole new era of quality and resilience in the way voice and broadband services are delivered across the country, provided organisations are aware of the impending change and plan accordingly. This will involve working closely with a trusted connectivity partner to not only migrate to a new service, but ensure the solution chosen will provide the required performance, resilience, and scalability, while retaining cost control.
IP technology allows broadband connectivity and compatible digital voice services to operate over the same data network, removing the need for legacy PSTN connectivity. These services can be delivered over a broadband connection, such as FTTP, SoADSL or SoGEA, or over an Ethernet service. However, the underlying connection does not provide a traditional dial tone as standard.
How Exponential-e can help
Exponential-e is already working closely with organisations across multiple sectors to prepare for the switch-off, providing them with a range of migration options that will not only ensure disruption is minimised, but open up new opportunities to reduce costs, while optimising resilience and service quality.
There are a range of ways these benefits can be unlocked, depending on where you, your teams, and your customers are active, the services you utilise each day, and whether you currently utilise copper wiring for other services. It is important to bear in mind that not every available solution will necessarily be the right fit for every organisation, but our teams are here to guide you.
Exponential-e's portfolio of services - including, FTTP, SoGEA, SoADSL, and VoIP services - was designed to be truly vendor-agnostic for precisely this reason. We work with multiple carriers to ensure our customers and their end users enjoy the best possible coverage across the entire UK. As with every aspect of our services, our approach is a consultative one, with our own experts working closely with customers' teams to develop a robust migration plan to mitigate the impact of the switch-off and ensure a smooth transition to your ideal IP-based service.
Do not hesitate to contact us to discuss your voice and connectivity requirements and how the impending switch-off will affect you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PSTN switch-off?
The PSTN switch-off is the UK's nationwide retirement of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and ISDN services. By January 2027, all organisations will need to use IP-based voice and broadband services instead of legacy copper telephone lines.
When is the PSTN switch-off?
The UK PSTN network will be permanently switched off in January 2027. Organisations that have not migrated to IP-based connectivity before this deadline risk losing access to traditional voice and broadband services.
Will my business phones stop working after the switch-off?
If your organisation still relies on PSTN or ISDN services without migrating to an IP-based solution, traditional business phone services may no longer function once the network is switched off.
What technologies will replace PSTN?
Modern alternatives include FTTP, Ethernet, SoGEA, SoADSL, VoIP and Cloud-based communications. These services provide greater resilience, improved call quality, scalability and support for hybrid working.
What are the benefits of migrating before January 2027?
Migrating early helps avoid service disruption, improves business resilience, enhances voice quality, reduces operational costs and provides sufficient time to test and optimise your new connectivity before the deadline.
Will I need full fibre broadband?
Not necessarily. While FTTP provides the highest performance where available, organisations may also benefit from SoGEA, SoADSL or dedicated Ethernet services depending on their location, infrastructure and business requirements.
What other business services could be affected by the PSTN switch-off?
Many legacy services rely on PSTN connections, including lift emergency phones, alarm systems, payment terminals, telemetry devices and some building management systems. These should all be assessed as part of your migration planning.
How can Exponential-e help with the PSTN migration?
Exponential-e provides a consultative, vendor-agnostic approach to migration, offering FTTP, SoGEA, SoADSL, Ethernet and VoIP solutions through multiple UK carriers. Our experts work with your organisation to create a tailored migration strategy that minimises disruption while improving resilience, scalability and long-term performance.
1. BT Wholesale
658 Hits
There's no doubt that times are tough for the great British pub, with 161 closures reported across the country in the first quarter of this year alone1, combined with £322.5m of new employment costs to consider since the last autumn budget and the rising cost of national insurance2. At the same time, we're seeing a widespread cultural shift, particularly amongst the younger generations.
About a third of young people have reported cutting back their alcohol intake over the past twelve months, typically citing budget and health as driving factors (or just wanting to drink less!)3. But despite this shift, the sector remains valued at £24.9bn (with this expected to rise to £25.7bn by 2028)4, and post-work drinks remaining a consistent source of revenue, and pub meals remaining popular despite an overall drop in dining out5.
However, just as we saw during COVID lockdowns, the sector never fails to demonstrate its resilience and creativity when challenged. In my role at Exponential-e, I regularly speak to pub owners and managers (purely in a professional capacity!) who're eager to build on the lessons learned throughout lockdowns and the success of the first digital transformation initiatives that resulted. And hopefully England can go all the way and give the pub industry a revenue boost!
So, I feel we can confidently say that one of our most beloved national institutions isn't going anywhere, but it's not going to be enough to assume drinking and dining habits will remain the same, or that patrons' expectations around the overall pub experience are the same as they were just a few years ago. Specifically, here are the four ways I would anticipate the sector evolving in the years ahead…
Operational efficiency will be a top priority
Rising labour costs, particularly the increase in both National Insurance and the National Living Wage - mean the sector as a whole is having to do more with less, ensuring available staff can continue delivering exceptional service without putting their own health and wellbeing at risk. A detailed answer to these challenges lies outside the scope of this article, but when the highest level of operational efficiency is required, technology definitely has a role to play by reducing waste, automating routine processes and administrative tasks, and providing streams of real-time staffing information that support better decision-making at the micro and macro levels. All of this will ultimately lead to tangible cost savings that can be reinvested in the patron experience.
Patrons' expectations will continue evolving
Along with the shift in drinking habits that we touched on earlier, it's also important that we're cognisant of the different ways in which patrons access services and information. We very much live in an interconnected society, with younger generations preferring everything to be readily accessible through their smart devices. However, the pub sector is already very much ahead of the game here, having rolled out app-based service at scale during COVID. This means we have a strong foundation to build on, gaining a better understanding of patrons' ordering habits and utilising this to tailor services, menus, and marketing activities accordingly.
Infrastructure must be designed for scale
Far too many pubs that are part of chains or groups are still relying on fragmented, multi-vendor environments when it comes to connectivity, systems, and communications. Beyond the considerable ongoing expense this presents, it puts far too many pubs at risk of being unable to trade if their local infrastructure goes down. In our post-cash society, if you can't take card payments, you can't do business, which impacts both your profits and your reputation.
Furthermore, when central offices must manage hundreds of sites across the country, all utilising their own legacy infrastructure, it creates an unacceptable operational burden.
For this reason, we are seeing an increasing number of chains and groups accelerating their long-term digital transformation plans, working with trusted technology partners to phase out siloed legacy systems in favour of fully consolidated infrastructure that provides full control and visibility of all sites, combined with in-built redundancy to ensure trade is never disrupted by an outage, even in particularly remote locations.
Security must be inherent in the design
Of course, as pubs embrace the next generation of interconnected infrastructure, their tech-savvy patrons expect them to take action to ensure their personal data remains secure, before, during, and after each visit. Security ecosystems must take into account payment card data, guest WiFi networks, loyalty databases, employee records, and much more. This is not negotiable - the regulatory landscape is increasingly stringent about the way customer data is handled at every touchpoint, and the penalties for non-compliance are steep.
We just have to look at the number of organisations who've been left unable to trade and suffered potentially irreparable reputational damage after falling victim to cyber attacks in recent years to see how serious this situation is. Digital transformation initiatives cannot afford to treat security as a bolt-on. Instead, it must be inherent in the design of all infrastructure, with corporate security policies automatically applied wherever possible and regular training provided for all staff.
From pouring pints to delivering experiences
While there are certainly challenges ahead, the UK's pubs are well-placed to weather them, ensuring these spaces remain a beloved social hub for future generations. While younger people are certainly drinking less, quality experiences never go out of fashion, and the pubs that will continue to thrive are the ones who embrace this fact, looking for new ways to bring people together in unique environments.
While it may feel contradictory to talk about digital transformation at the same time as human experiences, automating routine processes and opening new channels for interaction with patrons is all about ensuring staff are free to focus on the personal touches that turn first-time patrons into loyal, repeat ones. A perfect example of what can achieved when people and technology come together!
If you're keen to accelerate your own digital transformation after reading this, let's arrange a conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can digital transformation help UK pubs?
Digital transformation can help pubs improve operational efficiency, reduce waste, automate routine tasks, support cashless payments and create more personalised customer experiences.
Why is connectivity important for modern pubs?
Reliable Connectivity supports payment systems, app-based ordering, guest WiFi, loyalty platforms and operational systems, helping pubs continue trading without disruption.
How can pubs improve operational efficiency with technology?
Pubs can use technology to automate administrative tasks, monitor staffing levels, reduce waste, analyse customer behaviour and make faster decisions across single sites or multi-site estates.
Why does infrastructure need to be designed for scale?
Scalable infrastructure helps pub groups consolidate fragmented systems, improve visibility across multiple sites and maintain service continuity during busy trading periods or local outages.
How can pubs protect customer data?
Pubs can protect customer data through Cyber Security, secure payment infrastructure, protected guest WiFi, access controls and security policies applied consistently across all digital systems.
Why is security important for hospitality digital transformation?
Security must be built into hospitality infrastructure from the start to protect payment data, loyalty databases, employee records and guest services from cyber threats and compliance risks.
How are customer expectations changing in the pub sector?
Customers increasingly expect convenient digital services, app-based ordering, reliable WiFi, personalised offers and seamless experiences that combine traditional hospitality with modern technology.
What technology should pub groups prioritise?
Pub groups should prioritise resilient Connectivity, secure payment systems, Cloud Services, Cyber Security, guest WiFi, analytics platforms and systems that provide central visibility across all sites.
1. British pubs closing at a rate of almost two per day in 2026 - BBC News
2. Why Are UK Pubs Closing in 2026? The Employment Answer
3. Why are one in three Brits drinking less alcohol in 2026?
4. UK Pub Industry Outlook 2026: Costs Rise but World Cup Could Boost Sales | Morningstar UK
5. Pubs under pressure as eating out growth slows in 2026
650 Hits
In today's interconnected society, our data is a fundamental part of our personal and professional lives, informing everything from the way we communicate and collaborate with our colleagues to the way we do our weekly shop. Seamless, secure flows of data have transformed the way we access many critical services and helped bring a rich vein of new innovations to market, but as with any period of intensive technological evolution, these benefits have come at a price…
In a highly unpredictable geopolitical landscape, the growing volumes of data created, stored, and transferred by public sector and enterprise organisations present an extremely attractive target for bad actors, as does corporations' intellectual property and citizens' personal data. It's unsurprising that organisations across the public and private sectors are treating the continued integrity of their data as a critical priority - not only to avoid the financial and reputational consequences of a breach, but also to provide customers and prospects with assurance that their critical data will always be protected, both at rest and in transit.
Data sovereignty is a key part of this journey, by which we mean, in the broadest sense - guarantees over the geographical locations in which data may be stored. Most technology providers will already have such guarantees in place, typically involving the location of their hosting environments. However, with the now near-ubiquity of Cloud platforms and the growing complexity of security and compliance, the nature of true data sovereignty is no longer so clear.
With this in mind, consider the following questions when evaluating Cloud providers…
Is your Cloud provider fully incorporated in your desired location? While they may maintain hosting environments there, can they say the same for the Cloud platforms you will be utilising, particularly if they are operating as part of a larger umbrella company? If not, you cannot guarantee that your data will remain within the country when in transit, which may lead to compliance and security issues
Will they maintain full jurisdictional control of all data? Related to the above point, with several governments having now implemented regulations that grant them access to data stored in Cloud platforms (e.g. the US Cloud Act), providers must be able to guarantee that customer data will never be subject to such overreach. This is especially critical for any sort of public sector data, particularly Government and defence.
Can they specify which personnel have access to their Cloud platforms? Again, all engineers who will be maintaining the Cloud platform and acting on behalf of customers must be based in their sovereign nation, with the appropriate clearances and certifications in place.
Does their data sovereignty extend to their disaster recovery and business continuity practices? The sovereignty of data centres must extend to back-up environments, which must also be located in the designated geographical region, with air gapping, data encryption, and zero-trust security measures utilised as appropriate, and all of this subject to annual audit.
Will they maintain full jurisdictional control of all data? Related to the above point, with several governments having now implemented regulations that grant them access to data stored in Cloud platforms (e.g. the US Cloud Act), providers must be able to guarantee that customer data will never be subject to such overreach. This is especially critical for any sort of public sector data, particularly Government and defence.
Can they specify which personnel have access to their Cloud platforms? Again, all engineers who will be maintaining the Cloud platform and acting on behalf of customers must be based in their sovereign nation, with the appropriate clearances and certifications in place.
Does their data sovereignty extend to their disaster recovery and business continuity practices? The sovereignty of data centres must extend to back-up environments, which must also be located in the designated geographical region, with air gapping, data encryption, and zero-trust security measures utilised as appropriate, and all of this subject to annual audit.
This is why Exponential-e has continued to develop our ability to guarantee true data sovereignty, in direct response to the evolving digital and geopolitical landscapes. To this end, we were recently certified as a VMware Sovereign Partner, reflecting our ability to provide complete assurance around the sovereignty and control of digital assets. The are multiple dimensions to this, including our hosting facilities, support, management, regional jurisdictions, security clearances, and ability to deliver complementary services, such as Bring Your own Key (BYoK) and both shared and dedicated Cloud environments. As a proudly UK-based company for more than twenty years, our full range of solutions is designed with true sovereignty inherent in the design – something we continue to develop in response to the latest regulations, geopolitical shifts, and security challenges.
If you are in any way concerned about the sovereignty of your data and your key platforms, do not hesitate to reach out to our team, who will guide you through these challenges, ensuring you can continue your Cloud journey with complete peace of mind.
Expert Insights
-
- Cloud
-
- Cross Sector
-
- Thought Leadership
1363 Hits
In the space of just a few years, AI has moved from the realms of science fiction to the forefront of many organisations' digital transformation strategies. But when global bad actors will seize on any opportunity to access enterprise infrastructure, it is essential that in the rush to train the new algorithms and unlock all the promised benefits, we do not put our sensitive data at risk.
We've spoken before about the increasing importance of true data sovereignty, and maintaining full control and visibility over how our data is stored, managed, and utilised. As AI adoption is increasingly widespread - from content creation to data analysis, customer contact, and digital pathology, such concerns will only increase, and so it is essential that we establish a clear understanding of how the security and sovereignty of our critical data will be impacted.
However, standing still is not an option. Many organisations are falling foul of 'shadow AI', where employees' ill-informed use of public AI platforms at work has impacted the security and sovereignty of their sensitive data. Indeed, in April 2024, a survey of CISOs found that one in five UK organisations had their sensitive data exposed by employees' use of GenAI, with 75% of respondents considering such platforms a greater security risk than external threats1.
To complicate matters, there is still a severe lack of transparency around how GenAI companies utilise users' data to train their models, and no guarantee that they will take organisations' security and compliance practices into account as the race for industry dominance continues. GenAI providers are corporations and have their own interests firmly at heart. In other words, once your employees have allowed a platform access to your data - however well-intentioned the application may be, you have no way of knowing how it will then be utilised, or even whether it will remain within your region.
These concerns are exacerbated by over-reaching regulations such as the US Cloud Act (2018), which all US-based firms are subject to, requiring them to grant the Government access to their data on request, regardless of where their physical servers are located. This, of course, creates considerable risk of conflict with data protection regulations, such as the GDPR, and undermines the sovereignty of organisations' critical data. In a worst-case scenario, this may lead to costly fines and reputational damage if organisations are found to have inadvertently breached their compliance with applicable data protection regulations.
So, whether you are planning on embedding AI at scale or using a softer touch, a clear strategy around AI and data security and governance, at both the micro and macro levels, must be established and documented. This should then inform everything from large-scale technology investments to day-to-day working practices, with designated individuals responsible for ensuring these standards are adhered to and regular training provided to employees to ensure they understand their individual responsibilities.
Taking these principles to their logical conclusion, there's a strong case to be made for bringing AI to your data, rather than the other way round. Instead of putting your trust in a single provider, who may not share or be able to accommodate your security and sovereignty goals, you should establish your own 'toolbox' of solutions that have been designed with specific data protection practices in mind or even developing them in-house if they do not currently exist.
While work still needs to be done establishing clear standards of best practice around AI's implementation across enterprise environments, I would anticipate that this will soon become non-negotiable for GenAI providers, as organisations must contend with increasingly stringent compliance obligations (particularly those operating within the CNI sectors) and end users demand reassurance that the integrity of their data will be maintained. If providers are willing and able to collaborate with their end users to this end, we will not only see an increase uptake of these technologies but also ensure the UK's critical data will remain secure in an increasingly turbulent geopolitical landscape.
Ultimately, the message is clear - do not leave any of this to chance. For this reason, Exponential-e offers a suite of hands-on workshops, where our experts will work closely to establish how and where AI can offer the most benefit to your organisation, determine your current level of AI maturity, and develop an effective roadmap for its implementation - all while maintaining the most rigorous security, governance, and compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sovereign AI?
Sovereign AI enables organisations to maintain control over how data is stored, processed, governed and secured, often within a specific jurisdiction.
Why is sovereign AI important?
It helps protect sensitive data, reduce compliance risk and prevent unintended use of information by third-party AI providers.
What are the risks of public generative AI?
Risks include sensitive data leakage, poor governance, unclear residency, compliance breaches and shadow AI usage.
What is shadow AI?
Shadow AI refers to employees using unauthorised AI tools without governance, increasing security and compliance risks.
Can organisations use AI securely?
Yes. Private or sovereign AI environments, governance controls and secure data access models can enable safe adoption.
How does the US Cloud Act affect sovereignty?
It may allow US providers to comply with government data requests regardless of where information is physically stored.
Is sovereign AI required for GDPR?
No, but it can reduce risk through stronger control over location, access, governance and processing.
How should CNI organisations adopt AI?
Through secure, governed environments that prioritise resilience, sovereignty and sector-specific compliance.
What does a sovereign AI strategy include?
- Governance policies.
- Approved environments.
- Access controls.
- Compliance requirements.
- Training and monitoring.
How can organisations assess AI readiness?
Assess maturity, governance, security, use cases and compliance requirements to build a balanced roadmap.
1. Fifth of CISOs Admit Staff Leaked Data Via GenAI - Infosecurity Magazine
1296 Hits
Mathematician Clive Humby said in 2006 that "Data is the new oil". Twenty years on, he has been proven right in ways he could never have anticipated. The increasing integration of physical and digital systems, followed by the rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), means that data is now very much a national resource - one that's not only driving growth across both the public and private sectors, but also transforming the way critical services are delivered, enhancing our collective wellbeing and quality of life.
However, in the rush to achieve all the outcomes promised in AI's earliest days, too many organisations find themselves limited by the foundational infrastructure. Legacy systems were simply not designed with such sophisticated, resource-intensive applications in mind, and so find themselves held back by inconsistent capacity and availability, disparate systems delivered by multiple suppliers (who may not share the same security and compliance standards), and inconsistent pricing and visibility caused by over-reliance on public platforms.
In our current period of mounting geopolitical turbulence, data sovereignty is a particular concern. While technology providers may be able to guarantee the location of certain data centre environments, the nature of modern SaaS platforms, Cloud infrastructure, and AI-powered workflows means that there is no guarantee that users' data will remain within their sovereign region, potentially leaving it vulnerable to national legislation like the US' Cloud Act, which allow governments to demand access to the data stored by Cloud providers.
This not only presents a grave risk in terms of users' privacy and security, but also means the data that powers mission-critical services like healthcare, defence, finance, and Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) may be left vulnerable to international bad actors.
Questions of data sovereignty therefore naturally lead into considerations around how we design, deploy, and scale the physical and digital foundations of emerging AI platforms that numerous organisations are exploring - the 'horsepower' that allows them to consistently deliver the desired outcomes at scale.
When infrastructure is designed with the next generation of AI workflows, and the new level of sovereignty they demand - inherent in the design, rather than retrofitted onto legacy infrastructure, the possibilities are tremendous and will drive a shift in our thinking around AI from a technology-focused approach, to an outcome-focused one.
However, while the concept is ostensibly simple, putting it into practice often proves prohibitively complex and costly, requiring the support of a trusted partner who can not only demonstrate deep knowledge of AI's ongoing evolution, but also the multiple physical and digital layers that provide the all-important horsepower, engaging with the appropriate providers to ensure their secure, seamless integration whenever necessary.
This will prove a crucial step in unleashing AI's full potential for organisations across the entire UK - from mission-critical public services that citizens depend on, to everyday interactions between businesses and their customers.
We explore this journey in greater depth in our latest report, Sovereign AI Horsepower - A British Model of Resilience, Competitiveness, and Trust. Inside, our experts consider the challenges and opportunities presented by the new generation of AI platforms and posit a new approach for bringing them to the enterprise in a way that delivers the desired outcomes with zero compromises in terms of compliance, security, or cost control. The report is free to read here for a limited time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sovereign AI?
Sovereign AI refers to Artificial Intelligence platforms and infrastructure designed to ensure that data, workloads and governance remain under the control of the organisation or nation that owns them. This helps maintain compliance, improve security and reduce exposure to foreign jurisdictional risks.
Why is data sovereignty important for AI?
Data sovereignty ensures sensitive information remains protected under local laws and regulations, reducing compliance risks and supporting secure AI adoption.
What are the risks of using public AI platforms?
Public AI platforms can create concerns around data residency, regulatory compliance, visibility, security and exposure to foreign legislation.
How does sovereign AI improve security?
Sovereign AI provides greater control over data location, access management, infrastructure security and governance frameworks.
What infrastructure is needed for enterprise AI?
Enterprise AI requires resilient connectivity, secure Cloud platforms, scalable compute resources, robust governance and integrated cyber security capabilities.
How does AI affect Critical National Infrastructure?
AI can improve operational efficiency and decision-making within Critical National Infrastructure, but requires strong security, compliance and sovereignty controls to protect critical services.
895 Hits
It is no secret that cyber security is a priority for all sectors, as threats evolve in terms of frequency, scale, and sophistication. However, for Operators of Essential Services (OESs), this is just part of a larger, more complex picture. With the ongoing convergence of IT and OT and the resulting drive for an integrated approach to physical and cyber security, combined with increasingly complex compliance obligations, a more considered approach to the design and implementation of security ecosystems is needed.
A 'secure by design' approach.
It's no accident that we at Vysiion describe our delivery process, service and solution portfolio in this way - not just in relation to the cyber components of the delivery, but the systems, controls, and governance used in our delivery of mission-critical infrastructure into the most challenging environments, for the most stringently regulated sectors.
The Vysiion view, robust security is not a retrofit - it needs to be inherent in both approach and design, taking process, controls, hardware, and software into consideration, and ensuring stakeholders are aware of their roles and responsibilities.
So, taking a step back and considering how this works in practice, and from the earliest stages of a project...
An established project management methodology will include the creation of a risks and methods document, ensure the right security and risk management specialists have been engaged, and that processes are in place that follow best practice throughout each phase of delivery. A 'secure by design' approach takes this further by considering the full range of IT and OT security systems and processes that will overlay every element of the project - validated against the relevant frameworks and regulations, with the latest threat intelligence used to pinpoint the areas of greatest risk. Crucially, this includes all elements of the proposed supply chain, as these represent an increasingly common target for cyberattacks as a means of gaining backdoor access to critical data and infrastructure.
A rigorous, standards-based approach is essential, as OESs' regulatory obligations are rapidly evolving in response to the complexity of IT / OT systems, with regulations like NIS (2018) reflecting the larger attack surface created by this new breed of infrastructure.
As such, the following standards should be considered as the baseline for establishing secure, integrated IT and OT systems:
A rigorous, standards-based approach is essential, as OESs' regulatory obligations are rapidly evolving in response to the complexity of IT / OT systems, with regulations like NIS (2018) reflecting the larger attack surface created by this new breed of infrastructure.
As such, the following standards should be considered as the baseline for establishing secure, integrated IT and OT systems:
- ISO 27001. The globally recognised standard for information security.
- NIS (2018). Measures to optimise the resilience (both physical and cyber) of network and information systems.
- Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF). A systematic approach to measuring multiple aspects of cyber risk, maintained by the NCSC.
- IEC-62443. A framework for mitigating security vulnerabilities in the design and operation of critical infrastructure.
- Cyber Assurance of Physical Security Systems (CAPSS). Assurance for physical security systems.
Do not make assumptions here. The regulatory environment is increasingly rigorous, with standards and frameworks extending to organisations and market verticals previously exempt. For example, some manufacturers are now regarded as part of the UK's CNI sector and must be able to demonstrate appropriate and proportionate consideration has been given to the same regulatory and compliance goals.
Once the applicable standards have been identified, their robust principles can be adopted throughout the design and implementation phases and beyond, utilising proven methodologies like the Purdue Model to ensure dataflows and physical assets are identified and documented, and proactive monitoring of the potential attack surface is maintained (and automated, where appropriate). This should be subject to regular review using collated security data and the most up-to-date threat intelligence, and supported by a responsive maintenance capability, 24 / 7 support and monitoring, and regular auditing.
Once the applicable standards have been identified, their robust principles can be adopted throughout the design and implementation phases and beyond, utilising proven methodologies like the Purdue Model to ensure dataflows and physical assets are identified and documented, and proactive monitoring of the potential attack surface is maintained (and automated, where appropriate). This should be subject to regular review using collated security data and the most up-to-date threat intelligence, and supported by a responsive maintenance capability, 24 / 7 support and monitoring, and regular auditing.
The actual execution and impact of this approach will naturally vary from project to project and sector to sector, but it is essential that all OESs, their technology partners, and all organisations acting as part of their supply chains are ready and willing to adopt these principles, not only to fulfil their specific compliance obligations, but to ensure their services remain secure and available to citizens across the UK.
In this way, the 'secure by design' approach represents a powerful investment in your organisation's future, ensuring the continued availability and integrity of the critical product or service you provide.
Whatever the nature of your next project, if you are ready to adopt a 'secure by design' approach, don't hesitate to contact us. We will collaborate with you to establish an appropriate and proportionate approach, aligned with industry best practice and regulatory compliance, and drawing on our deep experience as an experienced supplier to the Defence, Energy, and wider CNI sectors.
In this way, the 'secure by design' approach represents a powerful investment in your organisation's future, ensuring the continued availability and integrity of the critical product or service you provide.
Whatever the nature of your next project, if you are ready to adopt a 'secure by design' approach, don't hesitate to contact us. We will collaborate with you to establish an appropriate and proportionate approach, aligned with industry best practice and regulatory compliance, and drawing on our deep experience as an experienced supplier to the Defence, Energy, and wider CNI sectors.
Cyber-Secured Engineering
This brochure sets out the Exponential-e Group's pedigree across the CNI sector, and our full range of capabilities, with real-life case studies of our ongoing work with leaders and innovators across the sector.
593 Hits
With manufacturing now officially incorporated into the UK's CNI sector, its overall levels of resilience and security must be reconsidered, incorporating best practice and technical innovations from other companies from across the sector (i.e. utilities and transport firms).
A key aspect of this will involve expanding manufacturers' definition of resilience beyond the safety and performance of physical machines to the integrity of the growing volumes of data generated on-site, and the cross-site connections that are increasingly powering tomorrow's interconnected workflows.
This is more than just a 'nice to have'. The recently announced Cyber Security and Resilience Bill is just the latest step in governments around the world taking proactive steps to secure public services – and the digital platforms and supply chains that support them – in an increasingly turbulent geopolitical landscape. As we close out Critical Infrastructure Security Month, the need for new standards of security and resilience across the entire CNI sector has never been higher, so let's explore the steps manufacturers can take to proactively establish this across their operations.
Optimising the resilience of manufacturing data lakes
The rise of 'smart' technologies within manufacturing operations is transforming the sector's workflows, but also significantly increasing the volumes of data that must now be stored and managed in full compliance with all CNI regulations, including the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, EU NIS 2, and eCAF. Storing these large volumes of structured and unstructured data onsite will likely prove impractical, introducing a serious financial and operational burden, but at the same time, the need for real-time visibility of manufacturing operations, along with increasingly complex security and compliance challenges, means a full-scale move to the Cloud will not necessarily be viable.
Colocation offers an alternative way forward here, offering manufacturers a single answer to a range of data hosting challenges. By relocating specific volumes of data to dedicated space in external, geographically dispersed data centres, while keeping others on-site – potentially as part of a wider hybrid Cloud strategy – manufacturers will enjoy a whole new level of flexibility in terms of how they store and manage their data that will, in turn, bring them up to the standards of operational resilience that CNI demands.
Of course, putting all this into practice requires a world-class hosting environment…Enter your text here...
How Vysiion are providing the foundation for more resilient manufacturing across the UK
This is why Vysiion continues to maintain our presence in the Tier III Ark data centres – the Government's hosting environment of choice and the only data centres with pan-government accreditation at all security levels. As an active presence in these highly secure, eco-friendly hosting environments, we have helped organisations across a range of sectors develop approaches to data hosting that support the most complex workflows and compliance obligations, offering hands-on support throughout the migration process to minimise any disruption. This includes connections to the secure private networks utilised across manufacturing operations, where necessary.
Our presence in the Ark data centres, combined with our deep experience around 'smart' technologies, the ongoing convergence of IT and OT, and the manufacturing sector's unique workflows and operational models – plus comprehensive cyber security capabilities – means we are able to help you manage your data in the way that best suits your operations, your budget, and your evolving compliance obligations.
Just contact us if you would like to discuss your own manufacturing operations' data hosting requirements in greater depth.
Cyber-Secured Engineering
This brochure sets out the Exponential-e Group's pedigree across the CNI sector, and our full range of capabilities, with real-life case studies of our ongoing work with leaders and innovators across the sector.
403 Hits
The Cloud has fundamentally changed the way organisations across a range of sectors design, manage, and scale their IT infrastructure. In many cases, this has allowed them to stay abreast of unexpected shifts in the digital landscape while retaining full control of ongoing costs and turning their growing volumes of data into a powerful source of business insights. But when it comes to digital transformation, there's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution. At Vysiion, we've seen this over and over again throughout our work with organisations operating in some of the harshest environments, with some of the most rigorous security and compliance requirements.
In many such cases, where critical applications and data need to be available in as close to real-time as possible, the only answer is to locate hardware at the edge, which naturally limits opportunities for Cloud transformation. However, now more than ever, technology tends to evolve to fulfil the most specific requirements, especially when organisations and their technology partners work in close collaboration to drive new innovations. In fact, we may already be seeing such solutions emerging in response to these singular requirements…
Hyperconverged Infrastructure opens the door
to next-gen hybrid Cloud
Azure Stack HCI, for example, offers a new approach to Cloud transformation that enables specific systems to be maintained at the edge, where necessary – a true hybrid approach that allows Cloud platforms to be seamlessly integrated with edge computing environments to achieve the desired functionality.
The use of containerisation and virtual machines offers a level of control and flexibility that would be difficult, if not impossible, to execute exclusively with on-premises systems, while still ensuring data sovereignty and compliance obligations can be met. For additional layers of security and resilience, integration with Azure Security Center and Azure Defender is available, along with built-in redundancy.
All of this can be manged through a centralised control panel, allowing for complete visibility of operations and data flows, even for the most remote locations.
This approach has huge implications for AI and IoT projects at the edge, allowing for real-time monitoring and analytics, combined with intelligent automation of routine processes to maximise operational efficiency.
But, once again, this is not without its limitations, as standard hardware is rarely suitable for the harshest, most challenging environments – such as military zones, highly remote energy sites (e.g. oil rigs and offshore windfarms), or industrial conditions – which may make Azure Stack HCI challenging to implement.
Is ruggedised Azure HCI the ultimate edge computing solution for Defence, CNI, and Manufacturing?
It is clear that Azure Stack HCI's potential across these sectors is enormous. We must therefore consider how it can be implemented in such a way as to access all the possible benefits, while still maintaining the security and resilience of critical infrastructure in situations when environmental conditions may lead to failures.
However, based on a range of ongoing conversations with our customers and technology partners, we would argue that such measures are already available. By combining Azure HCI's full range of capabilities with high-quality, ruggedised hardware, true 'always-on' operations can be established, with seamless, highly secure flows of critical data between edge devices and the Cloud.
Whatever environments you operate in, and whatever your digital goals are at the edge, in the Cloud, or both, do not hesitate to contact us. Drawing on our deep experience designing bespoke digital transformation solutions to the most rigorous specifications, our teams will work closely with you to achieve your long-term goals, and so help establish a new standard of digital best practice across the most challenging sectors.
Cyber-Secured Engineering
This brochure sets out the Exponential-e Group's pedigree across the CNI sector, and our full range of capabilities, with real-life case studies of our ongoing work with leaders and innovators across the sector.
505 Hits
Like a great many of you, as soon as we had some sunny weather recently, I was all set to break out the barbecue. But my plans were soon scuppered when I realised I needed a new can of Calor gas. Undeterred, I checked for local stockists on Calor's website and got on the phone to check who had some available. On each occasion, no-one answered the phone.
So, after multiple failed attempts, I just got in the car and drove to every petrol station in the area until I found someone with Calor in stock. So, our barbecue did happen in the end, but my little adventure actually demonstrates a wider challenge that the retail and hospitality sectors (and others) are facing at the moment.
With retail and hospitality environments, most things have moved online (e.g. bookings, opening hours, or to check stock if click-and-collect is available), but there are still lots of scenarios where people still call up. For example:
"Sorry, I'm running 10 minutes late, but I want to keep my reservation."
"Are you dog friendly?"
"Are you open this bank holiday?"
The challenge here is that many businesses in retail and hospitality (pubs and restaurants, for example) are unlikely to be running dedicated call centres, and their staff are going to be on their feet all day, attending to guests rather waiting by the phone. If a customer can't find the information they're looking for online and isn't able to speak to a member of staff, then their options are to risk it and make a booking or order regardless, continue to wait on hold, or simply take their business elsewhere. None of these options make for a great customer experience.
So, how do we strike the right balance between operational efficiency and that all-important human touch? While it may seem contradictory at first glance, agentic AI potentially holds the answer.
AI agents have improved to the point where their voices are convincing enough to serve as the first point of contact over the phone, just as is now the case on many websites. This way, a caller is greeted straight away by a friendly voice rather than an automated menu or the dreaded on-hold music - an immediate improvement in the overall customer journey. But this is the clever part... Voice recognition and sentiment analysis enable AI agents to make the decision as to whether a call would be best handled by a human agent and, if so, direct the caller to the right person.
So, let's say a restaurant gets a call from someone who wants to make a reservation... The AI agent can automatically check which tables are available, set out the options, and make the booking without a human member of staff needing to get involved. On the other end of the spectrum, if a customer calls with a question that requires a specialist's input or wants to book a party for 100-plus people, these will be directed straight to the appropriate member of staff.
So, when it's applied strategically, with the ideal customer journey in mind, agentic AI offers rich opportunities to optimise customer
contact over the phone in the same way as many organisations are already doing across other channels, not only in terms of making sure someone is there to answer the phone, but also making sure their desired result is achieved as seamlessly as possible.
When AI agents manage customer interactions in the way describe above, they're not only capable of intelligently routing the conversation, but also transcribing it, pruning anything irrelevant (small talk, for example), and uploading the whole thing to the CRM system - something that would not be practical to do manually, even for dedicated contact centre teams. This can be combined with interactions across other channels to build deep customer profiles that can support personalised marketing, as well as practical things like automated reminders about reservations, or when a requested item has come back in stock.
This also opens up new ways to measure agent performance and wellbeing, ensuring everyone is delivering the expected quality of service, and customer satisfaction targets are consistently met. By analysing the data gathered throughout customer interactions across all channels, trends can be identified, successes built upon, and measures put in place to remedy any recurring problems, such as providing additional training or support where necessary.
There's understandably a lot of hype around AI platforms right now, but customer contact is one of the areas where it is most definitely proving truly transformative, ensuring that customers are always able to make contact through whichever channel they prefer, and enjoy seamless, stress-free resolutions. When we step back and take an objective look at the different points of contact with customers, we will get a clearer understanding of where agentic AI can add the greatest value, adapting to the technology to suit our customer service goals rather than the other way around.
Finally, some food for thought... Someone recently created an AI chatbot to call every pub in Ireland and enquire about the cost of a pint of Guiness, using this data to generate a price map of the whole country. How many of those interactions already involved bots talking to bots, and how likely is this to become a standard part of business' customer interactions? Interesting times for the entire sector for sure.
If you're interested in exploring potential opportunities to implement agentic AI, or any other aspect of your customer contact systems and processes, just get in touch (even by phone, if you prefer!).
Exponential-e & Retail
Our Retail brochure offers a comprehensive overview of how we draw on a deep understanding of the sector's singular challenges, an evolving technology ecosystem, and a highly consultative approach to offer bespoke solutions that help staff deliver their best for every customer - both online and in person.
1032 Hits
The ongoing evolution of our nation's Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) requires large-scale CAPEX investment in core infrastructure, along with the introduction of digital initiatives that support the convergence of physical and digital systems, enhancing performance, efficiency, and availability. This presents a multi-dimensional challenge for CNI organisations, who are often forced to accelerate or adapt their long-term transformation roadmaps, whether this means scaling, restructuring, preparing for an exit or investment, or a combination of all three.
In parallel, the increasing deployment of digital technology amongst Operators of Essential Services (OESs) has led to a range of new security and compliance challenges. When shareholders are made aware of these risks, they - correctly, demand reassurance that their high-value investments will be protected.
For this reason, technology partners supporting CNI verticals must be alert to the requirements of a diverse stakeholder community, offering informed advice throughout the investment process, providing an accurate assessment of risk and compliance challenges, and translating often conflicting priorities into deliverable actions that will drive business growth.
Let's consider how this should work in practice...
Enabling data-driven decision-making throughout mergers and acquisitions
When physical and digital assets are seamlessly and securely interconnected, operators enjoy access to rich veins of real-time data around the status of key platforms. This data can be used to accurately benchmark all security and operational risks against technical and regulatory compliance, establishing their potential impact on service availability and, in turn - the predicted ROI.
When this level of visibility has been achieved, improvements in both efficiency and profitability are unlocked, benefiting the wider stakeholder community and enabling more informed decision-making throughout every stage of mergers and acquisitions, including:
- Pre-acquisition due diligence: Identifying technical debt and flaws, establishing security and compliance risks with a concrete value for their remediation.
- Post-acquisition investment: Establishing OPEX costs needed to support effective systems and processes to ensure the continued security and compliance of critical infrastructure.
- Exit readiness: Creating a definitive, auditable log of critical assets, reflecting full regulatory compliance and the ability to meet investor scrutiny.
Specialist IT / OT advisory and support to protect investments
This role can be taken further, with technology partners serving as advisors to PE firms and mid-cap boards, providing them with the technical and operational oversight they need to protect and validate their investments. This should begin with rigorous technical (i.e. the IEC62443 standard) and regulatory (i.e. NIS-2018 / CAF) assessments, conducted in line with the overall risk appetite and corporate strategy. Once these information streams have been established, they can be used to augment CIO and CISOs' capabilities, bridging the knowledge gap between enterprise IT and OT systems and optimising governance and risk management.
When it comes to making informed investments in critical infrastructure, the value of objective, strategic guidance from experienced specialists cannot be overstated. Technology partners who are able to support IT leadership in this way will evolve from pure providers to true enablers of business growth, providing tangible value to investors while optimising the performance, security, and availability of critical services.
If you require guidance around any planned or existing investments in CNI infrastructure, contact us to arrange a consultation of potential risks and a detailed assessment of how they can be mitigated, based on globally recognised standards and our deep experience across multiple CNI verticals, including Energy, Utilities, Transport, Defence, and Industry.
Cyber-Secured Engineering
This brochure sets out the Exponential-e Group's pedigree across the CNI sector, and our full range of capabilities, with real-life case studies of our ongoing work with leaders and innovators across the sector.
729 Hits
Across the Hospitality & Leisure sector, more and more data is generated and stored than ever before, throughout every stage of the guest experience. From the initial check-in, to accessing amenities, and post-visit engagement, the modern guest experience is truly interconnected, offering hospitality professionals numerous opportunities to build brand loyalty and develop powerful USPs. It's a transformative time for the sector as a whole, but these growing volumes of data present an extremely attractive target for bad actors. We just have to look at the growing number of high-profile breaches in recent years - where the targets have been left unable to trade and forced to contend with operational disruption, financial penalties, and reputational damage – to see the potentially irreparable effects of such attacks.
It's no surprise that guests expect concrete reassurance that their data will remain secure throughout the duration of their stay and beyond. As a result, organisations across the sector are investing in their cyber security ecosystems, phasing out legacy systems in favour of Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) and Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) platforms that provide fully centralised control and visibility of highly dispersed sites.
The challenge here is that the right digital investments are just the first step towards developing a robust cyber security posture. As seasoned hospitality professionals will already be very much aware, when people and technology come together, great things happen. And it's the same with cyber security.
SIEM and SOAR platforms provide rich veins of actionable, real-time security data in the form of logs, alerts, and analytics. However, far too many organisations investing in such platforms fail to consider how this data will be acted upon, and how a real security alert will be managed. Indeed, in many cases, their internal IT teams simply lack the time and resources to do so - a situation compounded by the growing diversity of cyber security portfolios, where multiple platforms from different providers have been integrated.
This is where a Security Operations Centre (SOC) becomes essential. A world-class SOC combines skilled analysts, defined processes, and supporting technologies to monitor, investigate, and respond to potential threats in real time. Without this operational layer, the expected ROI of digital platforms all-too-often fails to materialise, and in a worst-case scenario, the lack of defined processes may even lead to a security breach going undetected.
However, for many hospitality providers, building and maintaining an effective SOC in-house can be prohibitively challenging, and so there is a strong case to be made for implementing managed SOC services, as many across the sector have already found. Here, trusted partners' own specialists provide round-the-clock monitoring and response, acting as an extension of internal teams. This approach allows organisations to develop a stronger, more agile security posture, while simultaneously enabling internal resources to remain focused on delivering exceptional guest experiences.
So, if you're in any doubt about your overall security posture - whether that's systems, processes, or both - don't hesitate to contact us. Based on a thorough evaluation of your existing systems and processes, we will work closely with you to design, deploy, and maintain a cyber ecosystem that fully supports your day-to-day operations, freeing you to focus on delivering seamless, exceptional experiences for every guest, every time.
A comprehensive overview of digital transformation for the entire Hospitality & Leisure sector.
- Building your guest experience on the right digital foundation.
- Ensuring your infrastructure continues to evolve with your business.
- Turning one-off guests into loyal, repeat customers.
1138 Hits
An AI-powered Approach to Delivering Local Government Services
The UK's local councils are challenged on a growing range of fronts. Budgets and resources are shrinking, but citizens' expectations around the quality and availability of the full range critical services must still be fulfilled, whether this involves making sure the bins are always collected on time, or ensuring the most vulnerable are able to access the support they need. Indeed, at the time of writing, one local council's list of services runs to seventeen pages, with over four-hundred individuals involved in their delivery.
Put simply, councils' frontline staff are being forced to do more with less, making these highly complex service environments prime candidates for intelligent automation. But, as is often the case when it comes to the deployment of agentic AI technologies - there's a lot to consider if the initial investment is to deliver the desired outcomes. Consider the following:
- 66% of councils have trouble understanding where AI can deliver the greatest value.1
- 43% of local councils saying the lack of clear use cases is a barrier to AI adoption.2
While many councils have already realised agentic AI's applications for purely transactional services (e.g. the payment of parking fines or council tax), it is clear that a deeper understanding of its potential applications is still needed.
One common misunderstanding around AI is that it is best used to replace human agents wherever possible, but this is a fatal misconception. This technology's full potential is as an enabler and enhancer of human expertise and experience, allowing frontline staff to consistently deliver their best while simultaneously ensuring their wellbeing is protected.
Consider a list of services like the one we touched on at the beginning of this article - a quite typical service wrap for local Government organisations. No human agent could sensibly be expected to be able to deliver that many services, but at the same time, hiring individual specialists for every area is not going to be practical when doing more with less is the order of the day.
Agentic AI offers a third way, automatically putting the information and resources agents need to deliver successful resolutions right at their fingertips, without requiring them to manually parse complex knowledge libraries.
AI's ability to translate high volumes of data into an actionable form in real-time is unprecedented. Critically, this does not just have to mean formal knowledge bases that Government departments maintain themselves - it can also browse relevant websites, PDFs, and other sources of information, collating their findings in agents' dashboards in response to the most specific queries, including providing practical steps towards a resolution. This not only significantly eases the pressure on frontline staff, but can also reduce the time and expense involved in training new agents or broadening the capabilities of existing ones.
AI's ability to translate high volumes of data into an actionable form in real-time is unprecedented. Critically, this does not just have to mean formal knowledge bases that Government departments maintain themselves - it can also browse relevant websites, PDFs, and other sources of information, collating their findings in agents' dashboards in response to the most specific queries, including providing practical steps towards a resolution. This not only significantly eases the pressure on frontline staff, but can also reduce the time and expense involved in training new agents or broadening the capabilities of existing ones.
At Exponential-e, we're already working closely with a number of Government organisations (and numerous others from across the public and enterprise sectors) to bring these concepts to life and establish a clear standard of best practice around where and how agentic AI is implemented. These "cyber advisors", as they are increasingly called, are transforming the way local Government's contact centre environments operate, ensuring citizens enjoy the fastest possible resolutions, while simultaneously freeing up time and resources that can be reinvested in other public services.
Of course, this must all begin with the right foundation - specifically, a thorough assessment of an organisation's current customer journey, which will reveal where the implementation of agentic AI will bring the greatest possible benefits, and how the necessary changes can best be executed. Contact us today to arrange your own consultation and take the first step towards building your own team of world-class cyber advisors.
A secure digital foundation for better citizen outcomes, operational resilience, and long-term value.
Public sector organisations are under pressure to deliver more with less while meeting rising expectations for secure, always-available services. This guide shows how an integrated approach to connectivity, cloud, cyber security, and communications creates the resilience, scalability, and compliance government demands – turning digital strategy into real community impact.
1333 Hits
© 2026 Exponential-e Ltd. Reg. No. 04499567, Reg. Address:100 Leman Street, London E1 8EU