Business owners are being promised practical advice rather than abstract debate at a free AI conference taking place in Milton Keynes next month.
Accelerating AI Conference 2026, which will be held at The Ridgeway Centre in Wolverton Mill on June 9, will focus on how businesses are beginning to use artificial intelligence across marketing, administration, customer service, automation and operational planning.
The event is being organised by Matthew Rigby-White of Qoob, Andy Paul of Fliweel.tech and Lionel Naidoo of Dragon IS, who say many firms have moved beyond asking whether AI matters and are now trying to understand how to apply it effectively inside existing teams and workflows.
Among the sessions announced is a presentation from Andy Paul examining AI agents and their growing role in business operations. Rather than focusing on chatbots or content generation, the session will look at how AI systems are beginning to carry out routine operational tasks including reporting, scheduling, research and communication.
Matthew Rigby-White will lead a session on how marketing teams are adapting to AI tools across strategy, customer journeys, eCommerce and campaign delivery.
Lionel Naidoo will discuss Microsoft Copilot and the wider shift towards AI-assisted working, focusing on how organisations can balance automation with governance, oversight and decision-making.
The wider programme reflects the increasingly broad role AI is beginning to play across business and public services.
Ian Pulford, director of Smart City Consultancy and head of Ohmio UK, will speak about autonomous robotics and their use in transport, maintenance, monitoring and social care. Lisa Beckett, head of customer data and insight at Milton Keynes City Council, will outline the council’s experience introducing AI tools across services and operations.
Other speakers include Dr Ed Braund of the University of Bedfordshire, who will examine how universities can support regional AI adoption, alongside contributors from the British Business Bank and techUK.
Matthew Rigby-White said the conference had been built around practical implementation rather than industry jargon.
He said: “There’s a lot of noise around AI, but many business owners are now looking for realistic guidance on what is genuinely useful, where the risks are and how these tools fit into day-to-day operations. That’s what we wanted the conference to focus on.”
Andy Paul said businesses were increasingly exploring AI in operational settings rather than as isolated experiments.
He said: “We’re seeing organisations move from testing AI tools individually towards thinking about how they support wider business workflows. The conversation is becoming far more practical.”
Lionel Naidoo said the event aimed to help organisations approach AI adoption with more confidence.
He said: “Most businesses understand that AI will affect the way they operate. The challenge is understanding where it adds value, where human oversight matters and how to introduce it responsibly.”
Microsoft is also confirmed to attend the conference, with further details expected closer to the event.
Accelerating AI Conference 2026 is being delivered in partnership with South Midlands Growth Hub, Milton Keynes City Council, the British Business Bank and Business MK.
The free event begins with networking from 8.30am before the conference programme starts at 9am.
Further information and tickets are available at https://acceleratingai.co.uk/
