Is Your Business Ready for AI? | Rob May

AI is transforming the way we work, communicate, and make decisions. But while the technology is advancing rapidly, many organisations are still figuring out how to adopt it successfully.

In this episode of The Transfer Files, James and Steph are joined by guest Rob May, AI and cybersecurity thought leader, international keynote speaker, best-selling author, founder and Chairman of ramsac, and ambassador for the Global Council for the Responsible Use of AI.

Drawing on more than 35 years of experience in technology and cybersecurity, Rob brings a practical perspective on how organisations can make the most of AI while managing the risks that come with it. The conversation explores where businesses are on their AI journey today, why some organisations are getting AI adoption wrong, and why AI should be treated as a business strategy rather than simply an IT project.

Rob also shares his thoughts on the growing number of AI tools available, how organisations should think about AI budgets, and what teams need to do to prepare their systems, processes, and data for successful adoption.

Whether you're just starting to explore AI for the first time, already investing in new tools or looking to build a more effective AI strategy, this episode is packed with practical advice to help your organisation move forward with confidence.

Timestamps

(00:00) Introduction

(01:41) How Rob May landed in the world of AI

(04:41) The current reality of AI adoption across businesses

(07:36) What happens if you aren't adopting AI while your competitors are?

(08:50) AI, LLMs, Machine Learning, Generative AI and Agentic AI explained

(12:16) Why Rob prefers the term “Assistive Intelligence”

(14:58) Who is driving successful AI adoption within businesses?

(16:25) How much does AI cost and how should businesses budget for it?

(22:07) What is Forward Deployed Engineering?

(24:06) Building an MCP layer that works with your existing systems

(26:50) Is there one AI platform businesses should use?

(32:16) AI guardrails, security, risk and responsible adoption

(38:34) What is your post-AI business operating model?

(40:35) How do you prove ROI on AI investment?

(45:39) What does the future look like as AI grows?

(49:11) Rob's key advice for businesses in the AI era

Want to learn more about Rob and his work?

🟦 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rpvmay/

🟦 ramsac: award-winning technology and cybersecurity consultancy - https://www.ramsac.com

🟦 Rob's latest AI project - https://thoughtprovoked.co.uk

🟦 Explore Rob's collection of books on cybersecurity, leadership, AI, and technology - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B078GYKHZJ

Pro2col:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pro2col/

Twitter - https://x.com/pro2colgroup

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