As Slalom launches its latest AI research report, The ambition–execution gap is widening, we speak to Caroline Grant, Senior Managing Director at Slalom Manchester, about what the findings mean for leaders navigating AI adoption today.
Caroline shares how the firm’s people-first approach is helping organisations move beyond experimentation towards real business impact, reflecting on the growing disconnect between executive confidence and operational capability, the risks of AI strategies racing ahead of governance and accountability, and why keeping the human firmly in the loop will be critical as AI becomes a boardroom priority.
Could you start by telling us a bit about yourself and your role at Slalom? What brought you into the business?
I’m Caroline Grant, and I run the Slalom Manchester business. I joined in June 2023. I live on the northwest coast in a little village outside Lytham, but I’m originally from just outside Leeds. I’ve spent about 20 years in management consulting, working with businesses to deliver their transformation goals. I made a deliberate move to Slalom a couple of years ago because I wanted to focus more on supporting businesses in the Manchester and North West region, building a local presence that could collaborate, drive the digital agenda, and give back to the community - something I felt was missing in some of the larger, global firms I’d worked with previously.
Slalom describes itself as a next-generation professional services and consulting company working at the intersection of business, technology and humanity. How does that translate into the work you’re doing in the UK market?
Essentially, it’s about looking at the whole picture. We don’t just deliver technology solutions — we help customers imagine what’s possible and then embed those solutions in their organisation to achieve real business outcomes. We focus on people as much as technology, to avoid the trap of implementing technology for its own sake.
A good example is “Project 1k” in 2023, when Gen AI was taking off. We created 1,000 AI proof-of-concepts in 100 days with our customers. It helped us build hands-on capability and understand where AI could really drive value - from knowledge management to procurement optimisation. Then we could advise clients on where to focus for maximum impact. It reinforces our philosophy that technology is a catalyst, but strategy and empowered people are what create real impact.
Slalom has grown rapidly in recent years - what differentiates your approach from more traditional consultancies?
Slalom is a global company, and we’re actually the world’s largest private owned business and technology consulting company. What’s more we’re employee owned, and we’ve grown organically, deliberately city by city, building local teams who understand the region and its customers. We have around 11,000 people across 12 countries, but we combine that scale with local intimacy.
Our employees care about the region; they live there, their families are there. That combination of scale and local soul is really powerful, especially when organisations want more meaningful, human partnerships with their consultants.
Slalom has just published a major new AI report. Can you give us an overview of why now was the right moment for this research and what the global team set out to uncover?
It actually feels like a really good time. We did an initial piece of research back in 2023, when we were still in an experimental phase with AI. Back then we were asking “do you believe the hype of AI?” and “what changes do you expect to see in your organisation?”.
Fast forward to today and organisations have moved very quickly into adoption and enablement. Now is a good time to understand how executives feel about AI - their optimism, concerns, how their roles have changed, and the skills they need.
The research captures how AI is evolving within businesses and the boardroom, and how leaders are navigating that shift.
The report finds a clear gap between executive confidence and actual capability. Why do you think this disconnect is so common, and how are you seeing it play out in the UK market?
AI has moved from back-office functions to a boardroom priority, touching all departments.
Unlike traditional, linear transformations - say a finance system upgrade - AI impacts every part of an organisation, and responsibility isn’t always clear. Roles like the CDIO now need to think about organisational change, structures, and skill sets in ways they didn’t before.
The report found leaders rank critical thinking as the most essential skill for the future, over technical AI skills. Less than 18% highlighted empathy, which is concerning. In a machine-driven world, keeping the human in the loop is vital - otherwise, technology can overshadow the human intent that should guide it.
The report highlights that many organisations are updating their AI strategies faster than they’re building the governance or metrics to support them. What are the risks of this “strategy outpacing substance”?
I think this is really common at the moment. The report actually shows that cross functional ownership of AI driven or technology initiatives has increased by 63% but accountability around that remains really scattered. 38% of leaders were pushing decisions to business units, and then 18% were outsourcing them outside of the organisation. So this fragmentation between metrics and accountability leads to the risks of mistaking activity, especially around AI, for progress.
AI is not just a tech strategy; it’s a business transformation. Without connecting strategy to governance, culture, and clear ownership, organisations risk wasted investment and fragmented results.
Concerns over an AI bubble burst are common in the media, are UK organisations taking enough of an ROI-driven approach to their own AI investment?
Well the research would certainly suggest not!
We found 88% of UK leaders plan to increase AI investment next year. Having said that, there is a watch area in that only 44% are tracking ROI. That gap between execution and impact is definitely widening and if it's not addressed then there may be a loss of confidence.
How does Slalom help clients translate ambitious AI roadmaps into measurable and accountable programmes of work, and build AI systems that are not only innovative but responsible, ethical and safe?
We start by identifying high-impact use cases that tie directly to business goals. We prioritise and create a roadmap using tools like our AI value platform and ROI calculator, which assess outcomes across industries. Then we focus on enablement - leadership alignment, change management, adoption, and mindset shifts - because AI isn’t just technology, it’s a new way of working.
We also embed ethics, governance, and security frameworks to ensure AI is safe, responsible, and free from bias. And throughout, we keep the human element central, so technology delivers impact while resonating with human intent.
Finally, thinking about Slalom and your role in Greater Manchester’s tech ecosystem in which you’ve been increasingly involved. Why is Manchester an important city for Slalom, and what are your future plans in the region?
I love to talk about Manchester! Manchester is home to so many mid-size and large enterprises, and we partner with them to drive digital agendas and business outcomes. Being local allows us to work face-to-face, which is still crucial for transformation.
We plan to continue growing our team, especially in data and AI, creating a hub for the region. Beyond Manchester, we’re expanding in adjacent areas like Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Wales, increasing our impact and delivering meaningful work for more companies.
We also focus on community engagement, supporting user groups, charities, and initiatives that bring the regional digital ecosystem together. We obviously do a lot with Manchester Digital, but also work with partners for good and charities as well. So we'll continue to make sure that we're giving back into the community and bringing the community together around the digital agenda, as we have been doing.
Thank you Caroline!
Read the AI Research Report here and find out more about Slalom here.
