• Swindon & Wiltshire Support
• Monday May 19 2025

Wiltshire business leaders offered help to prepare workplaces for AI

Wiltshire’s small and medium-sized businesses are being offered help to prepare their workplaces for the impact of artificial intelligence, among fears that the UK is lagging behind international competitors.

Swindon & Wiltshire Growth Hub – which delivers support to SMEs on behalf of Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council – has teamed up with technology trainer the Code Institute to assess the readiness for AI of businesses in the county.

AI has multiple uses in workplaces, from automating routine tasks to generating and improving marketing communications. Chatbots are being used as a first line of customer service, while AI is helping to speed up the recruiting of new staff. AI can also be used to analyse complicated data.

The government is keen for British businesses to adopt AI. As part of its AI Opportunities Action Plan launched in January, the government promised to provide AI champions in key sectors like life sciences – an important sector of the Wiltshire economy – and financial services, while a targeted SME program promises support networks to drive adoption.

Large companies have been quick to adopt AI, with 68 per cent of Britain’s biggest firms incorporating AI tools into their businesses, according to government figures.

But among medium-sized businesses – those with between 50 and 250 employees – adoption falls to a third. And small companies are really lagging behind – with only 15 per cent of firms adopting one or more AI technology.

Swindon & Wiltshire Growth Hub is inviting companies to participate in two expert-led educational workshops before completing an AI Maturity Assessment, which benchmarks an organisation’s preparedness across six areas: strategy, value, data, technology, people, and governance.

Once a business’ AI maturity has been assessed, the team can offer advice on next steps, including additional investment opportunities and training for staff.

The whole programme is free of charge. For details, visit https://codeinstitute.net/ai-maturity-assessment-uk