Progress depends on trusted partners, capable people and secure digital foundations.
That was the key takeaway for me when I recently attended DigiGov Expo, an event that brings together leaders and practitioners from government, public sector and industry to explore how technology can help deliver more connected, resilient and effective public services.
What stood out most was the breadth of representation in the room.
With multiple government departments there, the event created a valuable opportunity to hear different perspectives, compare priorities and discuss the practical challenges organisations face as they modernise services.
The conversations were open, constructive and grounded in real delivery. Across departments, there was a shared ambition to make better use of data, adopt artificial intelligence responsibly and strengthen cyber resilience
Here are some of my highlights from the event.
AI creates significant opportunities to improve productivity, enhance decision-making and redesign citizen services. But those opportunities must be pursued safely, securely and with public trust at their core.
That means building security, resilience and responsible governance into transformation from the outset – not adding them later. It also means ensuring the networks, devices, data environments and identity controls beneath new services are ready for the extra demands AI will create.
One particular highlight was when Keith Smith, our resident public sector strategy and development expert, led a breakout session. It gave participants the space to move beyond high-level ambition and examine what successful delivery looks like in practice:
The discussion reinforced that there’s no single technology answer. Departments are working from different starting points, with different estates, risk profiles and service priorities.
The most effective approach is therefore one based on partnership: understanding the outcome required, addressing constraints honestly and combining the right connectivity, cloud, security, data and AI capabilities around that need.
The value of DigiGov Expo was not simply in the formal agenda. It was in the quality of the conversations between sessions – connecting people facing similar challenges, sharing lessons from across government and testing how ideas can translate into tangible outcomes.
For O2 Business, those conversations are essential. They help us stay close to departmental priorities and ensure our support is shaped around the realities of public sector delivery.
Not technology for technology’s sake but secure, practical solutions that help improve services and outcomes.
Government has a significant opportunity to use AI to unlock productivity, improve experiences and deliver better public services. Realising it will require equal focus on cyber resilience, trusted data, responsible adoption and the digital foundations that connect everything together.
I left DigiGov Expo encouraged by the appetite for collaboration and the willingness of departments to share both their ambitions and their challenges.
The next step is to turn those conversations into focused action – identifying where we can help organisations adopt AI securely, strengthen their cyber posture and build the resilient foundations needed for long-term transformation.
Thank you to everyone who shared their perspectives and to Keith for leading such an engaging breakout session.
I look forward to continuing the conversations started at DigiGov Expo.