In the interview, Chanell Daniels share the challenges companies face when developing and deploying frontier technologies like AI and quantum. Because these technologies and their use cases are so new, businesses can struggle to define “good practice” while navigating global regulations and industry risk profiles. Digital Catapult helps these businesses on their growth journeys, become investment and market-ready through impact assessments, co-designing solutions between suppliers and adopters, academic research, and connecting them with standards bodies (like the British Standards Institute) and responsible AI mentors. Daniels says that working with the public sector raises the stakes significantly compared to the private sector.
Government bodies require a high level of public trust and strict adherence to civil service obligations, but commercial companies also need to meet government-approved standards. Public sector preparedness isn’t just about the technology itself; it requires an organisational culture capable of spotting and responding to issues. Daniels also states that organisations must prepare for evolving standards, such as upcoming EU AI Act compliance deadlines for high-risk systems and ISO 42001.
