Advania increases support to turn user AI dreams into reality

Advania has made artificial intelligence (AI) one of its key areas of focus, and has backed that commitment with the launch of its own sovereign data platform. The channel player has spoken before of the need to help customers move on from the proof of concept stage and accelerate AI adoption, and has cut the ribbon on Advania AI Layer Technology (ALT), which is intended to help customers design and adopt the technology. ALT is being launched in a number of countries, including the UK, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Iceland. The service is an operating layer that sits above sovereign compute, and provides options to customers looking to introduce their own processes and keep data stored locally. Advania’s ALT also supports the popular AI models, as well as applications users will have developed themselves in-house, and promises to accommodate regional compliance requirements. As well as looking for assistance with AI, users have also increasingly expressed a desire for sovereign options, keen to keep their data close at hand in the knowledge information is not being spread outside of specific regions. Advania has noted that demand and its service will ensure the user is able to handle their data and keep control over information flows across the system. “Organisations do not lack access to AI – the challenge is how to scale it safely, govern it properly and ensure the right workloads run in the correct places,” said Errol Norlum, chief data and AI officer at Advania. “With Advania ALT, customers no longer need to choose between innovation and control,” he added. “They can utilise advanced AI capabilities whilst retaining visibility, accountability and confidence over how their data and AI services are used.” Security and performance Research, surveys and anecdotal reports have all confirmed that AI is the priority area for customers, but many questions remain for users around security, performance and the steps they need to take to prepare their infrastructure for the high-capacity demands that will come from the technology. “AI is rapidly becoming a staple part of the way organisations operate, compete and serve customers,” said Chris O’Brien, chief technology officer at Advania. “For UK-based organisations, the next phase of AI adoption will be defined by trust, control and production readiness. “Advania ALT helps customers innovate with confidence, by giving them a governed foundation for AI which is sovereign where it needs to be, connected where it adds value, and supports sector experts, who regularly take AI from strategy to live service,” he added. O’Brien shared some observations about the challenges of getting customers to adopt AI earlier this summer , when he amplified the need to guide users through the initial steps and pilot phases to ensure they were prepared to roll out the technology more widely across their organisations. Advania has been building up its AI expertise and offerings. Back in May , the channel player picked up Icelandic operation Evolv Robotics, adding 30 automation engineers to its roster and more experience of delivering AI tools. The channel player’s AI suite also includes Microsoft AI services and Copilot expertise, Azure Foundry, AI governance, and FinOps advisory.