It is now something of a truism to observe that artificial intelligence (AI) and data driven technologies are transforming the global economy. This applies to the UK’s services sectors, including the accounting and law firms for whom this toolkit has primarily been developed, as much as any others. There are of course technical challenges to be addressed in the adoption of AI and related technologies, but there are issues of human attitudes and behaviours that are equally – if not more – important. In light of these issues there is considerable value in the multi-disciplinary approach taken to the research and production of this toolkit, covering as it does the technical and organisational challenges, business implications and demands for innovation that confront professional services firms today.


AI and related technologies can enhance routine and data-intensive tasks, allowing professionals more time to focus on other, more value-adding activities. There will always be a need for the human understanding and human decision-making that characterise those higher-value tasks, whatever advances technology might make. Our task at UKRI is to help the UK’s professional services sector understand the real potential of AI, explore where best to implement it and be ready for the consequences. AI Readiness: A collaborative design toolkit for professional services firms offers a significant step in that direction.

The NextGenPSF project has focused on understanding and addressing the challenges facing mid-sized professional services firms in law and accountancy as the seek to adopting and implementing AI technologies. This site presents the final version of the free to access AI Readiness Toolkit created for professional services firms. The toolkit has been designed to addressing the needs of mid-size accounting and law firms looking to become AI ready in order to deliver higher value client-focused professional services. The AI Readiness Toolkit uses a 'design thinking' informed approach to identify and develop strategies for evaluating, adopting and implementing AI.


The AI Readiness collaborative design toolkit journey

We are interested to hear from mid-size accounting and law firms who would be interested to explore the opportunities for AI and who wish to get involved in the project. For more information or to find out how your business participate in the research and design sprints you can contact us here .