1. AI isn’t magic. Pretending it is can be dangerous.
AI was everywhere at Connected North — in slides, on panels, embedded in every other sentence. Ayesha Hussain (University of Leeds) said it simply, and effectively: “AI is a tool, not the destination.” Without a clear problem to solve or a clean dataset to work with, it’s just confusion dressed as progress.
Katie Atkinson (University of Liverpool) pushed the conversation further with a focus on explainable AI. Because if your model can’t explain its logic — especially in sectors like law, finance or telecom — how can anyone trust it?
And then there was Karl Havard (Nscale), who answered the million-dollar question:
“What percentage of people actually know what they’re talking about when they talk about AI?”
2. Fibre is built. Now what?
The UK has been on a full-speed, fibre-laying frenzy for years. Trenches dug, cables laid, billions spent. Mission accomplished? Not quite. The fibre’s there… but the users? Not always.
The challenge now isn’t infrastructure. It’s invitation. Getting people to adopt fibre services — especially in underserved, digitally hesitant or rural areas — is the real frontier. It’s no longer enough to build. You have to explain, empower, onboard and support.
That means digital platforms that make adoption feel easy, human, even enjoyable. Think user onboarding tools that don’t require a decoder ring. Think customer experiences that anticipate needs instead of reacting to problems.
And think about this: we’ve connected the country. But have we connected with the users?
3. Consolidation is coming. Is your tech ready?
Rob Hamlin (CityFibre) pointed out: market consolidation is probably inevitable. When it hits, things will need to move fast, merge faster, and function without friction.
This puts a spotlight on flexibility, automation and scalable tech. Operators that can’t integrate quickly will drown in their own complexity. Those that can will turn chaos into competitive advantage.
The lesson? Be merger-friendly before you’re merger-forced. Build tech that’s less diva, more diplomat.
4. Digital transformation is 80% human, 20% tech
You can have the best AI, the fastest fibre, and the most polished dashboard on the market… and still fail. Why? Because digital transformation doesn’t happen to systems — it happens to people.
Patrícia and Sérgio heard it loud and clear: real transformation requires cultural change, proper onboarding, digital confidence, and the kind of soft skills that rarely make it into procurement documents.
The demand is growing for learning platforms, digital onboarding support and accessible tools that help everyone — not just the digital elite — transition smoothly. You build transformation person by person.
Final thoughts: we went looking for signal. We found noise — and decoded it
At Near Partner, we’re ready to help telecom make the shift — from cables to connection, from infrastructure to insight, from machine logic to human value. Want to explore what that shift could look like for your organisation? Let’s talk.
