Lucid Software has introduced integrations with LeanIX and Ardoq to help businesses prepare their systems and documentation for broader AI use.

The move focuses on enterprise architecture and process documentation, two areas companies often struggle to connect when moving AI projects from isolated trials into day-to-day operations. The integrations give enterprise architects a way to visualise current technology estates, plan changes, and keep records aligned as systems evolve.

The announcement comes as companies face growing pressure to show returns from AI spending. Lucid cited MIT research finding that 95% of generative AI pilot projects produce no measurable return on investment, and said many organisations still lack the shared operational context needed to deploy AI in real workflows.

A separate UK finding pointed to the same issue from a workforce perspective. Lucid said 39% of UK knowledge workers believe their employer’s AI strategy is only somewhat aligned with wider operations, highlighting a gap between AI experimentation and broader organisational coordination.

Architecture view

At the centre of the latest product changes is a closer link between Lucid and systems used to map enterprise architecture. By connecting LeanIX and Ardoq data into Lucid, architects can turn structured records into visual models and work on proposed changes in a shared environment.

This matters because AI systems often depend on a clear understanding of applications, dependencies, and processes across an organisation. Without that underlying map, businesses can struggle to determine where AI tools should connect, what data they should use, and how changes in one system may affect another.

Users outside architecture teams will also be able to embed LeanIX and Ardoq data into diagrams through Lucid’s Process Accelerator product. The aim is to reduce manual interpretation of technical information and give wider teams access to up-to-date architecture data when designing operational changes.

Process records

Lucid also outlined updates to its Process Agent and Process Accelerator products, which focus on the creation, storage, and governance of process documentation. One recurring obstacle to AI deployment, it said, is that business knowledge remains fragmented across tools or held informally by individuals, leaving automation systems without a reliable guide to how work is actually done.

Process Agent, introduced earlier this year, now includes a context frame that lets teams attach supporting documents such as architecture standards. It also includes a decision log designed to show how a process document was created. Users will also be able to create diagrams from screen captures through Process Capture, adding to existing text, audio, and file-based inputs.

For Process Accelerator, the updates focus on governance and control. Organisations will be able to centralise documentation in restricted repositories, manage sequential approvals, compare current and historical versions, and use approved components across multiple diagrams so changes remain consistent.

Those functions are designed to create a single reference point for both employees and AI systems. In practice, that means companies can maintain an auditable record of how processes are defined, updated, and approved, while reducing the risk that different teams work from conflicting versions.

Wider challenge

The broader challenge for software providers and their customers is that AI deployment has moved beyond experiments with chatbots and individual productivity tools. Companies increasingly need to connect AI to core processes, internal rules, and existing systems if they want to deliver operational impact.

Lucid is positioning its software around that need by focusing on visual collaboration tied to operational and technical records. It argues that better visibility into processes and systems can help organisations align teams before introducing AI into business-critical workflows.

Jamie Lyon, Chief Product & Strategy Officer at Lucid Software, said the gap between individual gains and institutional results remains a central problem in AI rollouts. “Most organizations are seeing AI lift individual productivity, but that gain is not compounding into institutional impact. The missing ingredient is a shared, trusted view of how the business actually operates,” Lyon said.

He added: “Lucid is where leaders see, align on, and build the operational foundation AI needs to scale, by making it easy for teams to capture, connect, and govern this documentation with trusted context and clear processes.”

Zendesk is among the companies Lucid cited as using its tools in this area. “[Lucid] AI speeds architecture decision-making and reduces technical debt by converting specs into consistent, versioned diagrams with smart suggestions and collaboration built in,” Tiwari said.

bunq has published research showing a sharp gender gap in crypto investing in the UK. The study found that women are far less likely than men to have invested in the asset class.

The figures suggest the divide is driven less by outright scepticism than by confidence, familiarity and trust. According to the survey, 21% of women in the UK have ever invested in crypto, compared with 37% of men, while nearly a quarter of women describe crypto as “masculine”.

That perception appears to coexist with a broader desire to build personal wealth. The research found that 82% of UK adults are actively trying to grow their wealth, yet only 29% have invested in crypto.

Among women, the barriers appear to centre on access and understanding. Women were almost twice as likely as men to say crypto feels inaccessible, and 35% said they would not know where to start if they wanted to learn about it, compared with 18% of men.

The findings come as many consumers reassess their finances in a difficult economic climate. More than half of Britons surveyed said current conditions make it more important to explore alternative investments such as crypto, while 70% of women and 59% of men said they were unsure about their financial situation.

Knowledge gap

For those who have stayed out of the market altogether, lack of knowledge was the main reason. Among people who have never invested in crypto, 65% said limited understanding was the main factor holding them back.

Clear guidance was the most commonly cited factor that could help non-investors take a first step. The survey found that 37% said it would make a difference, pointing to a market where interest may exist but practical support remains limited.

Trusted financial institutions also emerged as the preferred route for would-be investors. Some 43% said they would trust their bank most to help them invest in crypto, a higher share than those choosing crypto exchanges and trading platforms combined.

A further 21% said they wanted to enter the market through a regulated and familiar environment. This points to a credibility challenge for the crypto sector, which has often relied on specialist platforms and online communities to attract new retail users.

Risk and trust

The data also suggests that willingness to invest does not always match understanding among those already in the market. Men were twice as likely as women to say they invest in crypto without fully understanding it.

Among existing investors, banks ranked relatively low as a source of information. The survey found that 11% turn to social media and 12% to online forums, compared with 7% who rely on their bank.

That split underlines a tension in the market. Potential new investors appear to want regulated, familiar institutions to guide them, while many current investors still rely on less formal online channels.

bunq presents those trends as evidence that crypto has not yet fully crossed into the financial mainstream, despite growing public awareness. The company, one of Europe’s largest digital banks, argues that broader adoption will depend on whether consumers feel they can access crypto through services they already trust.

The UK figures form part of a wider survey of 7,000 respondents across seven countries, including the US and six European markets. The poll aimed to measure attitudes to crypto adoption, barriers to entry and differences in perception across demographic groups.

While the results focus on women’s lower participation, they also suggest a wider issue around financial education. If most adults want to grow their wealth but many avoid crypto because they do not understand it, the market’s next phase may depend as much on explanation as on price performance or product design.

One notable result is that the issue is not simply disinterest. The survey indicates that women’s lower participation reflects uncertainty about how to begin, rather than a lack of willingness to consider alternative investments.

For banks and fintech groups, that may create an opening to offer crypto access within familiar consumer finance apps. For the crypto sector itself, it raises questions about whether a culture shaped by jargon, self-directed research and online tribalism has narrowed its audience.

Joe Wilson, Chief Evangelist at bunq, said the company sees simplicity and trust as the key issues in bringing more consumers into the market.

“For years, the crypto industry has been building for insiders, but mainstream adoption is being driven by trust and simplicity, not complexity. Users are open to exploring new ways to put their money to work, but they want to do it in a familiar, safe and easy-to-use environment. At bunq, we’re building that bridge and making crypto accessible for anyone ready to take their first step,” Wilson said.

SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

GoCardless has joined banks, building societies and fintechs in launching the UK Payments Initiative scheme, opening the way for Recurring Pay by Bank in the UK.

The industry-backed scheme is intended to expand account-to-account payments and give businesses another way to collect regular payments directly from bank accounts. GoCardless said its new service is designed for recurring, flexible and automated payments using open banking infrastructure.

UK retail payments remain dominated by cards, accounting for 84% of spending by turnover, according to GoCardless. Businesses pay GBP £1.5 billion in fees because of the market position of Visa and Mastercard, it added.

Scheme operator UK Payments Initiative has been funded by banks, building societies and fintechs. Its launch creates a framework for recurring open banking payments across sectors including public services, utilities, charities and financial services.

Market opening

GoCardless is positioning the service as a lower-cost option for merchants that rely on repeat billing. Instant authorisation and the ability to automate regular collections could appeal to firms seeking an alternative to card payments and existing bank debit arrangements.

Research commissioned by GoCardless suggested strong interest among businesses that take recurring payments. It found that 89% of recurring revenue businesses believe the technology would significantly improve cash flow, while 91% expect it to reduce operational costs.

The same survey found that 49% of businesses intend to be early adopters. Among consumers, 38% said they would be open to trying recurring Pay by Bank, rising to 60% among Gen Z respondents.

The launch also reflects a broader policy push to build more competition and resilience into UK payments. Account-to-account methods have long been seen by parts of the industry as a way to reduce dependence on card networks and create more domestic control over payment rails.

Early rollout

Earlier this year, GoCardless processed its first recurring open banking transaction for Jellyfish Energy during the sector’s live testing phase. The transaction provided an early operational example of how recurring bank payments could work in practice before broader adoption.

GoCardless said it has built features to address some of the practical limits of an early-stage rollout. These include routing a customer to Direct Debit when open banking is unavailable, auto-filling payment details based on existing payer data, and maintaining service uptime for merchants adopting the system.

That approach suggests providers still expect patchy coverage across some institutions and user journeys in the near term. Hybrid models that fall back on established payment methods may help firms trial recurring open banking payments without disrupting collections.

For businesses, the economics could be a major factor if adoption grows. Card processing fees are a persistent cost for merchants with subscription or instalment models, while failed or delayed payments can disrupt cash flow and add administrative work.

Open banking payments have so far had more success in one-off transactions than in repeat billing. A workable recurring model would address a major gap in the market, especially for sectors that need regular customer authorisation without repeated manual input.

UKPI Managing Director Richard Koch said GoCardless brought practical experience from years of account-to-account payments. “The launch of this scheme is a significant step forward as we build a faster, fairer payment ecosystem that unlocks genuine choice for businesses and consumers. Having GoCardless at the table brings 15 years of account-to-account expertise right into the heart of this initiative. Their experience is vital as we move forward, helping us turn open banking payments into a practical tool that people will trust and use every single day,” Koch said.

Shaun Puckrin, Chief Product Officer at GoCardless, linked the launch to longstanding concerns over concentration in the payments market. “For a long time, the UK has been waiting for a genuine alternative to traditional card payments. By launching an industry-wide scheme for recurring Pay by Bank, we will bring real competition to a market that’s been dominated for decades by a costly card duopoly. This milestone establishes the UK as a country that owns its financial future. We’re creating payments infrastructure that is modern, competitive, and free from over-reliance on external networks. Built on APIs for easy instruction and real-time execution, it is ideally placed to become the foundation of agentic commerce — where AI agents, automated systems, and instant payments converge. It’s a response to enormous market demand, and a shift that will change the way money moves for everyone,” Puckrin said.