AI is changing how we work – but most teams still don’t know which skills matter or where to start.

In this episode of Scaling with AI, Alex Bacon talks with Will Roberts from Digital Peninsula Network about the essential AI skills every business needs to stay competitive. Drawing on insights from the government-funded AI for Workplace Productivity Bootcamp, Will shares how UK leaders and teams are learning to use tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Midjourney to boost efficiency, creativity and confidence at work.

You’ll discover how to build an AI-ready workforce, why most training fails to stick, and how to create a culture of experimentation that drives results. They also explore AI in education, the changing expectations of future employees, and how Will uses AI to manage ADHD, turning distraction into focus and productivity.

If you’re leading a business or building a career around AI adoption, digital transformation or upskilling, this episode gives you a practical blueprint for success.

Listen now to learn how to close the AI skills gap and future-proof your business.

What happens when Microsoft becomes its own test case for AI?
In this episode of Scaling with AI, Alex Bacon speaks with George Pearson, Portfolio Lead for Global Partner Support at Microsoft, about the Customer Zero initiative – the internal deployment of Copilot across Microsoft’s vast support organisation.

George reveals how Microsoft used Copilot to transform operations spanning 92 contact centres, tens of thousands of engineers, and over a billion customers. He shares what it really took to modernise global customer service: from consolidating 16 CRM systems into one, to cutting admin time and increasing first-call resolution by 31%.

You’ll learn why Copilot is more than a writing assistant, how “thoughtful deployment” avoids the rubbish in, rubbish out trap, and why human feedback from engineers proved crucial to success.

If you lead a business exploring AI adoption, this conversation offers a blueprint for scaling AI that boosts both customer experience and employee satisfaction.

Listen now to learn how Microsoft made AI work in the real world.

What happens when cutting-edge AI meets one of literature’s most beloved characters? In this episode of Scaling with AI, Alex Bacon explores how the University for the Creative Arts partnered with StarPal AI to bring Elizabeth Bennet from Jane Austen’s world into ours as a fully interactive AI avatar.

Discover how students and researchers worked together to design, build and test a digital version of Lizzy that delighted visitors at the Jane Austen House Museum. From witty unscripted conversations to surprising historical knowledge, the project revealed how avatars can transform cultural engagement and make learning more accessible.

We unpack the creative process behind shaping Elizabeth’s personality, the role of iteration in refining her responses, and what this experiment means for museums, education, and the wider cultural sector.

If you’re curious about how AI avatars can breathe new life into heritage experiences - and what it’s like to chat with Jane Austen’s most famous heroine - this episode is not to be missed.