LIMA Elevate 2026 brought together IT leaders and LIMA partners including Microsoft and security specialists CYSIAM for a day of insights and honest conversation about AI adoption.
Here are the six things that stood out.
1. Most businesses are still in experimentation mode
Less than 5% of UK mid-market businesses are truly “frontier” firms, with widespread AI adoption. Most have tried things, seen some results, but haven’t made it past the pilot stage. That’s simply where most companies are right now. The important thing is understanding why, and what it takes to move forward.
2. The foundations matter more than the tools
This came up from every speaker independently. If your data is messy, your processes aren’t documented, or your security posture isn’t solid, an AI project will struggle regardless of which tools you choose. Getting the basics right isn’t the exciting part, but it’s the part that determines whether this works.
3. This is a business transformation, not an IT project
Perhaps the clearest message of the day. AI adoption affects your people, your processes and your customers. It needs executive buy-in, HR involvement, and clear communication with staff about what’s changing. Businesses that treat it as purely a technology decision tend to find that the technology never gets properly adopted.
4. The threat landscape is evolving fast
Dave Allen from CYSIAM made the case that attackers are already using AI to make phishing more convincing, automate reconnaissance, and move faster through compromised networks. Supply chain remains the most overlooked risk. The software vendor, the outsourced contractor, the cheap piece of hardware bought outside of IT. Becoming more digital and becoming more secure need to happen together.
5. Start with the problem, not the tool
The businesses getting the most from AI right now started by identifying areas of friction in their operations. It might be processes that take too long, the tasks that happen on repeat or handovers that regularly break down. They then asked whether AI could help. The ones struggling tend to have done it the other way around.
6. The workforce question doesn’t have a neat answer yet
One of the big talking points of the day was about talent development and pipeline. If AI takes on first-line work, where does the next generation of experienced people come from – whether that’s in an MSP or in a law firm?
Every panellist acknowledged this as a real concern. Nobody had a complete answer. It’s worth thinking about how your organisation will approach it now, rather than later.
Want to continue the conversation?
If you were at LIMA Elevate 2026 and want to pick up where we left off – or if you missed it and want to talk about the next steps on your AI adoption journey – we’d love to hear from you.
Learn more about LIMA’s Agentic AI workshop offer.
Contact the team at 0345 345 1110 or enquiries@lima.co.uk
