Mind the hype: navigating AI

For some, it brings uncertainty — concerns about job losses, ethical quandaries, and geopolitical complexity. For others, it’s the fear of missing out and the pressure to “do something with AI” — but what exactly should that something be?

The hype is huge. And If you’re to believe the big tech companies, we’re on the verge of a revolution with the labour market about to change forever. Yet, too often, when you dig a little deeper these promises ring hollow – it’s technology searching for a problem to solve, and that’s not how it should work, right?

AI is already making a clear difference: in Higher Education, early‑warning models identify students at risk of disengagement so staff can intervene sooner and improve retention; in Social Housing, predictive maintenance flags issues like boiler failures and damp or mould before they escalate, reducing outages, safeguarding tenants, and lowering costs.  Yet we’re also seeing cautionary tales in almost equal measure: chatbots issuing incorrect refunds, sparking copyright disputes, or even dispensing mental health advice…

A big risk right now is 'AI slop' — indiscriminate roll‑outs that flood workflows with half‑baked outputs, create rework, and ultimately slow teams down. Without clear use‑cases, guardrails, and quality checks, you get more noise than value. No surprise, then, that many employees keep quiet: a third [1] wouldn’t tell their manager they’re using AI, which undermines governance, learning, and impact.

So, are we on the brink of a technology revolution? Well, maybe.

There’s one thing for certain – AI should be on your board’s agenda.

It’s a significant opportunity if you’re prepared — and a critical risk if you’re not. Standing still isn’t an option. You need to understand how it will affect your organisation and your customers, identify where it can add value, and establish the guardrails to accelerate safely. Not only that, it’s crucial to educate your people and actively manage your data for value.

Focus where it really matters — beyond the tooling itself. Three foundations will determine whether AI drives value or just noise:

• Data: Treat your data like a core business asset. Make it accurate, complete, up to date, and easy to find. Standardise how it’s captured and cleaned, fix duplicates and gaps, and put clear ownership in place. Without reliable data, AI will surface guesswork; with it, you get dependable decisions and measurable results.
• People: This is a step‑change for the workforce. It can feel complex, intimidating, even threatening. Leaders need to set a clear strategy, communicate it openly, and invest in practical training and support so people can adopt AI with confidence.
• Trust: Good brakes let you go faster. Robust governance, security, and responsible use are what enable speed, not what slow it down. Put the guardrails in place so you can move quickly and safely.

At Waterstons, we’re helping customers get the foundations in place and navigate AI right now — from small efficiency gains and new competitive edges to fundamental operating‑model change. Regardless of the objective, you must start with the why, not the technology: What problem are you solving? What’s slowing you down? What could your people achieve with more time?

October marks the start of a new series of events and insights - Mind the hype: navigating AI, where we’ll take a no-nonsense, buzzword and sales pitch-free approach to AI.  No matter where you are on your AI journey, we’ll help guide your business through the noise and take practical steps forward. Look out for honest conversations, demystifying of buzzwords, and the latest thinking (plus a few train puns) from our experts across Waterstons.  

[1] - UK workers wary of AI despite Starmer’s push to increase uptake, survey finds | Artificial intelligence (AI) | The Guardian