Businesses across the region are moving from experimenting with AI tools to asking harder questions about productivity, oversight and operational value, according to organisers of a conference taking place in Milton Keynes next month.
Accelerating AI Conference 2026, which will be held at The Ridgeway Centre in Wolverton Mill on June 9, comes at a point when many firms are attempting to distinguish between the promise of artificial intelligence and the practical realities of introducing it into everyday operations.
While enthusiasm around AI remains high, businesses are increasingly focused on where the technology genuinely improves efficiency, where human oversight remains essential and how adoption can be managed without creating additional complexity.
The conference programme reflects that shift.
Rather than concentrating on speculative discussions about future technologies, sessions will focus on how organisations are beginning to use AI across administration, customer engagement, reporting, marketing and workflow management.
Andy Paul, founder and chief executive of Fliweel.tech, will examine the growing use of AI agents capable of handling multi-step business tasks. Matthew Rigby-White, founder and managing director of Qoob, will discuss how marketing teams are adapting to AI-driven tools and automation. Lionel Naidoo, founder and managing director of Dragon IS, will focus on Microsoft Copilot and the broader balance between automation, governance and decision-making.
The wider programme also reflects the extent to which AI discussions are spreading beyond technology firms into infrastructure, education and economic development.
Ian Pulford, director of Smart City Consultancy and head of Ohmio UK, will discuss the use of autonomous systems in transport, monitoring and social care, while Dr Ed Braund of the University of Bedfordshire will examine the role universities may play in supporting regional AI adoption and skills development.
Contributors from the British Business Bank and techUK will also take part.
Matthew said many businesses were now looking for clearer guidance on implementation rather than general discussion around AI.
He said: “There’s still a lot of noise around AI, but organisations are increasingly focused on practical questions around productivity, operations and where these tools genuinely add value.”
Andy said businesses were becoming more realistic about the gap between experimentation and adoption.
He said: “Many organisations have now tested AI tools in isolation. The bigger challenge is understanding how these systems fit into existing workflows and how they operate responsibly at scale.”
Lionel said businesses also needed a more balanced discussion around governance and operational oversight.
He said: “There’s understandable interest in automation and efficiency, but organisations are also thinking carefully about security, accountability and how these technologies are managed day to day.”
The free event begins with networking from 8.30am before the main programme starts at 9am.
Further information and tickets are available at https://acceleratingai.co.uk/
