SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

Argyll Data Development has launched a sovereign AI inference cloud for UK organisations, designed to keep infrastructure and model control within UK jurisdiction.

The Dunoon-based company built the platform with SambaNova for organisations that want to run production AI workloads without relying on foreign-owned hyperscale cloud providers.

The launch comes as businesses and public sector bodies move AI systems from pilot projects into live operations, bringing greater scrutiny over where data is held, who controls the underlying systems, and how services meet regulatory requirements. In sectors such as defence, healthcare and finance, those questions have become more pressing because some workloads cannot be moved offshore.

Argyll says the platform combines UK-owned infrastructure with SambaNova hardware and software so that data, models and operations remain under UK control. It is intended to address concerns about reliance on overseas cloud groups for AI inference.

Sovereignty focus

At the centre of the service is SambaNova’s Reconfigurable Data Unit architecture, running the company’s SambaManaged system. The design can be deployed in existing UK data centres, with racks operating at about 10kW, in contrast to the higher power demands and cooling requirements often associated with GPU-based systems.

The cloud hosts open-source models including Minimax and can deliver speeds of up to 400 tokens per second within a UK-resident environment. It is designed for real-time AI applications ranging from customer operations to fraud detection.

Argyll has also structured the platform as a disaggregated system, allowing compute, storage and networking to be distributed across multiple UK locations while functioning as a single inference layer. The company says this offers resilience and flexibility for regulated and security-sensitive users.

Peter Griffiths outlined the company’s view of what constitutes sovereign AI infrastructure.

“Sovereignty in AI is not a label you can apply to a contract or a colocation agreement. It is a condition that has to be demonstrated – who is accountable, where the infrastructure sits, who controls the intelligence layer, and whether all of that aligns with the expectations of the society being served. Our platform satisfies those conditions. We are building the standard that others should be measured against,” said Peter Griffiths, Chairman of Argyll Data Development.

The launch reflects a wider debate in the UK over how AI services should be built and governed as adoption grows. Much of the market relies on large US cloud providers for computing and model access, but some organisations have raised concerns that dependence on overseas platforms could complicate compliance, procurement and public trust.

Energy use and operating costs have also become central issues as AI models are deployed at scale. Argyll and SambaNova are positioning their offer as an alternative to GPU-led systems, arguing that power consumption, cooling needs and ongoing infrastructure costs can become barriers when organisations move from testing to full production use.

Jude Sheeran, who leads SambaNova in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said many users had not fully considered those trade-offs.

“As organisations scale AI, many are defaulting to GPU infrastructure without fully accounting for long-term cost, energy and operational complexity. Our work with Argyll provides an alternative, enabling high-performance AI inference that is more efficient, deployable and aligned with sovereignty requirements,” said Jude Sheeran, Managing Director for EMEA at SambaNova.

Argyll describes itself as a developer of renewable-powered infrastructure for AI in the UK. Its flagship project is the 184-acre Killellan AI Growth Zone in Argyll, where it plans to combine on-site wind, wave and solar generation with data-centre infrastructure.

That broader strategy links the company’s sovereign cloud pitch to domestic energy supply as well as data jurisdiction. For UK organisations deciding where to place sensitive AI workloads, Argyll is arguing that control over infrastructure, operations and location should sit together rather than be split across contracts and overseas cloud platforms.

JOSEPH GABRIEL LAGONSIN

News Editor

Vertesia and Florence Consulting Group have formed a strategic partnership in Europe focused on rolling out AI systems for large organisations.

The partnership combines Vertesia’s AI software with Florence Consulting Group’s integration and delivery capabilities to help businesses move AI projects into live operations.

Italy-based Florence Consulting Group works with large organisations in sectors including financial services, infrastructure, manufacturing, automotive, pharmaceuticals, the public sector and retail. It has offices in Florence, Milan, Rome, Cosenza and Madrid, and employs nearly 200 professionals.

Under the agreement, the companies will focus on document-heavy and data-intensive workflows that span core business systems. The work will cover AI strategy, integration and deployment across cloud, on-premise and hybrid environments.

The aim is to address a common problem in corporate AI programmes, where projects remain limited to chatbots or proof-of-concept work rather than being integrated into business processes.

“Organisations have spent years investing in AI, but many initiatives remain stuck at the stage of simple chatbots or proofs of concept,” said Niccolò Francini, chief executive of Florence Consulting Group.

“Our partnership with Vertesia allows us to provide enterprises with the best foundation for integrating AI into core processes and decision-making to make agentic AI truly operational,” Francini said.

Platform update

The announcement coincides with a product update from Vertesia, which has released more than 50 new skills and more than 50 new tools for its platform.

The additions are intended to expand the range of tasks AI agents can handle within business workflows. Vertesia describes its platform as software for intelligent content processing, context-aware workflows and automated task execution with governance and compliance controls.

In Europe, demand for AI systems that can be deployed within existing regulatory and operational requirements has become a central issue for technology suppliers and their consulting partners. Companies are under pressure to show returns on AI spending while maintaining oversight of data use, security and internal controls.

This has helped drive more partnerships between service providers and software firms. Platform vendors are seeking local delivery partners with established relationships with large enterprise customers, while system integrators want access to specialist AI software that can be embedded into broader transformation programmes.

Tim Hood, senior vice president for EMEA at Vertesia, said the partnership reflects the complexity of deploying AI in large organisations.

“AI transformation in the enterprise is not a product decision; it is a program,” Hood said.

“It requires partners who understand complex architectures, long-term client relationships, and what it takes to make technology work in production. FCG is exactly that. Modern enterprises need AI-native solutions built for complexity, not bolted on after the fact, and we are proud to partner with a team that shares that standard,” he said.

Florence Consulting Group says it has more than 10 years of experience in enterprise IT consulting and works across cloud and digital transformation, data and AI, digital process automation, cyber security, networking and DevOps.

For Vertesia, the deal adds a European consulting and systems integration partner with an established position in Italy and operations in Spain. For Florence Consulting Group, it provides access to a platform aimed at customers that want AI embedded in core processes rather than used as a standalone assistant.

The joint work will target secure, compliant and governable AI deployments in production environments for enterprise customers across Europe.

JOSEPH GABRIEL LAGONSIN

News Editor

Pricer has published UK research on how q-commerce is changing grocery shoppers’ expectations around pricing, loyalty and the in-store experience. The survey covered 1,070 shoppers across the UK.

The findings suggest growing pressure on supermarkets to align prices and promotions across digital and physical channels, as shoppers compare offers more closely and move between retailers.

The study found that 78% of shoppers expect in-store prices to match online prices, while 79% say consistent pricing influences loyalty. Another 66% are frustrated by deals available only through specific channels, indicating less tolerance for fragmented pricing strategies.

Store behaviour also reflects those changes. Nearly half of respondents, 48%, said they check prices online while shopping in-store. The figure was higher among younger and more affluent shoppers, suggesting mobile price checking has become part of the store visit for some groups.

Cost pressures, meanwhile, remain central to grocery buying decisions. The research found that 74% of shoppers actively seek discounts and promotions, while 63% visit multiple stores to secure better prices.

But the data points to a split market rather than a single consumer trend. Price-sensitive shoppers are trading down, switching stores and chasing lower prices, while younger and wealthier consumers place more weight on convenience, personalisation and product transparency.

That divide is also visible in store choice. The survey found that 69% of shoppers look for choice and variety, rising to 82% among higher-income households. It also found that 31% are shopping more at premium supermarkets, a shift driven largely by affluent consumers.

Changing expectations

Pricer linked those shifts to the spread of q-commerce platforms such as Deliveroo, which have moved beyond rapid delivery and increasingly use loyalty schemes, personalised offers and live pricing updates to drive repeat orders.

Finn Wikander, Chief Product Officer at Pricer, said the effect now extends beyond app-based shopping to shape expectations for physical stores. “Q-commerce is changing where people shop, but more importantly what they expect from every shopping experience,” he said.

“Shoppers are now used to personalised pricing, real-time promotions and seamless loyalty integration. They increasingly expect the same level of transparency and responsiveness when they walk into a physical store.

“Q-commerce has normalised the idea that loyalty should be rewarded instantly and consistently.

“Retailers can no longer treat pricing, promotions and loyalty as separate systems.”

In-store technology

The research also examined which in-store technologies shoppers would accept if they saw a clear benefit. More than half, 52%, said they wanted real-time price comparisons at the shelf, while 49% wanted personalised offers while shopping.

Interest in digital tools extended further. Some 41% said they wanted more digital signage in-store, and 25% were interested in electronic shelf labels. Appetite for electronic shelf labels rose to 36% among younger shoppers and 34% among higher-income groups.

Support for technology was not unconditional. The survey found that 61% would back in-store technology if it improved the shopping experience and kept prices low, but shoppers remained cautious about systems that replace staff or make shopping more complicated.

Wikander said retailers do not need to replicate the full q-commerce model, but they do need to respond to the expectations it has created. “Retailers don’t need to become q-commerce platforms,” he said.

“But they do need to bring the same immediacy, accuracy and relevance into the store. That’s where technologies like electronic shelf labels come in, enabling real-time pricing, consistent promotions and better communication at the shelf edge.”

The survey was conducted on a nationally representative basis and included breakdowns by age, generation and household income.