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Paris AI summit: Navigating the AI landscape and how SMEs can help UK government

Chad Bond

We might have all seen various spins in the media regarding the 2025 Paris AI Summit. 

Some have heralded it as a success, bringing together 100 heads of state from different countries. Although, the inability to reach key agreements has also been suggested as a failure.

The UK has committed around £400m to AI & innovation vs £100bn in France and £500bn in the US respectively. These don’t necessarily signal policy priorities but are more about the scale of economies at play across these nation.

The AI Fringe — an official side event for the Paris summit – discussed the amount of investment in AI was not directly proportionate to success or outcomes from innovation. The reality is this work doesn’t need huge teams or investment. Zaizi for instance uses a team of teams approach to help government solve its toughest problems

How the UK, US and France approach AI

Politics aside, here are some key points about how these countries vary in their approach to AI.

US:

France:

UK:

Watch webinar: A civil servant’s guide to getting AI projects off the ground

In terms of AI governance and development, we see several divergences across these regions.

Regulation vs innovation: A key tension lies in the level of regulation. The US leans towards less regulation to encourage innovation, while France and the EU advocate more regulation to ensure ethical and trustworthy AI. The UK seeks a middle ground.

National security vs international cooperation: While all three countries acknowledge the importance of international cooperation on AI, their national security interests can sometimes create competing requirements. For example, export controls on AI technology can hinder international collaboration.

Market-driven vs government-led: The US favours a market-driven approach, while France and other European countries are more open to government intervention and investment in AI.

The opportunities for SMEs

As the UK develops its approach, several opportunities emerge for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

Competitive advantage: Those who demonstrate a commitment to ethical and trustworthy AI could gain a competitive advantage, especially in markets prioritising responsible AI development. This could be a key differentiator in attracting customers and investors.

Innovation in Niche Areas: The focus on “trustworthy AI” could create opportunities for UK SMEs to specialise in developing AI solutions that address specific ethical concerns or societal needs. This could lead to niche markets with less competition.

Government Support: The UK government’s focus on AI governance may lead to support programs and funding initiatives for SMEs that develop AI responsibly. This could help offset compliance costs and foster innovation.

Collaboration: The UK’s emphasis on international cooperation could create opportunities for UK SMEs to collaborate with partners in other countries, gaining access to new markets, technologies, and expertise.

What we’re doing at Zaizi with AI

Many of these themes were discussed at the shadow event I attended — the AI Fringe in London. The event emphasised the practical implementation of AI — the reality of going beyond just Copilot to be truly transformative if adopters get it right.

The key themes discussed included the importance of taking action, delivering momentum, building human capital infrastructure, improving data foundations, and achieving scale. It was explicitly highlighted that much was needed to “fix the plumbing first.” A phrase summing those integral parts but still prevalent in delivering public services.

These discussions align with some critical areas we at Zaizi have identified for government organisations looking at AI use:

  1. Operational efficiency: Using AI for reading, writing, and summarising data to improve service efficiency
  2. Data readiness: In advance or in parallel, getting back office data in good shape to use emerging tech like AI. We observe the continued behaviour of improving workflows and sharing data between internal silos. Policy makes these things harder.
  3. Predictive insights: Developing models that help operational leaders make informed decisions and anticipate future requirements.

One more thing. I believe the narrative around AI replacing jobs has been largely overblown. Instead, we should focus on proactively developing valuable skills among civil servants. This will ensure that, as AI continues to evolve, everyone has the opportunity to thrive and no one is left behind — just as society has adapted and prospered through previous industrial revolutions. At Zaizi, we always look at the role we play in making government departments self sufficient. Digital government is hard, we’re here to make it easier. 

We discussed these topics and more during our recent webinar, ‘A civil servant’s guide to getting AI projects off the ground.’

The webinar featured digital leaders from the Border Force, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), Government Internal Audit Agency (GIAA) and Zaizi, who shared practical advice on how to get AI projects off the ground in government. 

If you’d like to speak to Chad or find out more about our work, please get in touch. 

Thanks for joining us! We’ll keep you informed with regular updates.

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