This week, Capital Web was mentioned on Parliament TV following a conversation I had with the Parliamentary Research team for our local MP, Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat, Tunbridge Wells). We discussed the role of artificial intelligence in UK business, the challenges facing companies trying to grow, and why it is so important that the UK keeps control of how AI develops on home soil.
The conversation came off the back of Mike Martin MP’s ongoing work in Parliament raising questions about AI, its impact on British industry and the barriers standing in the way of business growth. As a digital agency based right here in his Tunbridge Wells constituency, it was a privilege to be asked to contribute a local business perspective.
View on Parliament Live
What We Discussed
The discussion covered several topics that hit close to home for us at Capital Web, and I suspect for many other business owners across Kent and the wider UK.
AI in UK Business
Artificial intelligence is reshaping the way UK businesses operate, compete and grow. We talked about the opportunities it presents for small and medium-sized businesses, the risks of relying too heavily on overseas platforms, and why the UK is uniquely placed to lead in this space if we make the right choices now.
One of the points I was keen to make is that AI is not just a big tech story. It is not something that only matters to Silicon Valley or to corporations with billion-pound R&D budgets. AI is already transforming everyday operations for businesses of all sizes, from automating repetitive admin tasks to improving how companies find and hire staff. The businesses that embrace it early, and embrace it smartly, are the ones that will thrive over the next decade.
Lack of Access to Funding
We also discussed something that I know frustrates a lot of business owners: the lack of accessible funding for existing companies that want to grow. There is plenty of talk about supporting start-ups, and rightly so, but established businesses that have been trading for years, employing local people and contributing to their communities often find themselves overlooked when it comes to growth funding.
For companies like Capital Web, the reality is that we have had to seek funding privately. Government-backed schemes tend to favour early-stage businesses or very specific sectors, leaving a gap for the kind of established SMEs that form the backbone of the UK economy. If we want British companies to compete on the world stage, particularly in fast-moving areas like AI and technology, there needs to be more meaningful support for businesses that have already proven themselves and are ready to scale.
Difficulties Imposed by Local Councils
The third area we covered was the challenges that local councils can sometimes create for businesses trying to grow. From planning restrictions to slow decision-making and a lack of joined-up thinking around economic development, the relationship between local authorities and local businesses is not always as supportive as it could be.
This is not about pointing fingers. Councils are under enormous pressure and resources are stretched. But when a business wants to expand, take on more staff or invest in new premises, the process should not feel like an uphill battle. There is a real opportunity for local authorities to work more closely with the businesses in their areas and to see them as partners in growth rather than just sources of business rates.
Keeping AI in the UK
A big part of our conversation focused on sovereignty in a practical, commercial sense. When UK businesses rely entirely on AI tools built and hosted overseas, they hand over control of their data, their processes and ultimately their competitive advantage to companies that may not have their best interests at heart.
That is why at Capital Web we have been investing heavily in AI-powered tools specifically for the UK market. Our product Worker AI Pro is a UK-built AI agent installation solution that helps British businesses automate repetitive work, improve efficiency and deploy AI in a practical, commercially useful way. By installing tailored AI workers into real business processes, we help organisations reduce manual workload while keeping greater control over their systems, data and long-term capability, with UK business needs and data practices front and centre.
We believe products like Worker AI Pro represent exactly the kind of homegrown AI innovation that the UK should be championing. Not just because it keeps the technology and the data on British soil, but because it is built by people who understand the specific challenges that UK businesses face every day.
Why This Conversation Matters
When your local MP’s office is reaching out to businesses like ours to understand these issues first-hand, it shows that the right people are starting to pay attention. Mike Martin MP has already been vocal in the House of Commons about AI and its implications for UK creators and businesses. Knowing that his team is also talking directly to the companies living this reality every day gives me real confidence that our local voice is being heard where it matters.
The AI conversation can sometimes feel abstract and distant. But for the businesses we work with across Kent and beyond, it is very real. It is about whether they can afford to hire the staff they need. It is about whether they can access the funding to grow. It is about whether the tools they rely on are secure, compliant and fit for purpose. And it is about whether the system around them, from government policy to local council decisions, is helping or hindering their progress.
Get in Touch
Capital Web continues to develop AI-powered solutions for UK businesses, and Worker AI Pro is just the beginning. If you are a business owner and you want to understand how AI could work for you, or if you are interested in learning more about Worker AI Pro, we would love to hear from you.
You can reach us at enq@capitalweb.co.uk or call 01892 300 343.