It’s long been said that good data is necessary before you can have good AI. But to an increasing degree, AI is also helping businesses manage, analyze, and generate their data too.

With AI code generation already well understood, businesses are also leaning on natural language processing and agentic AI to help their experts such as data engineers and data scientists automate their work more effectively.

What does all this mean for businesses looking to adopt AI? And how is the UK AI market maturing?

In this episode, recorded on the ground at Databricks AI Days London 2026, Rory speaks to Michael Green, UK&I managing director at Databricks and Richard Shaw, AVP Field Engineering at Databricks, to better understand how data and AI are converging.

Read more:

• What is natural language processing?
• ‘A true vote of confidence’: Databricks announces $850m UK investment as firm looks to quadruple London office footprint
• "We want AI to work for Britain": The UK government wants to upskill 10 million Brits in AI by 2030 – and the courses are free to access
• The UK’s AI ambitions depend on channel partners
• Microsoft says fear of falling behind is driving an AI arms race among UK businesses – and it's fueling record adoption rates
• Databricks wants to train 100,000 people in AI across the UK and Ireland – here's how to get involved