Alan Brown

Alan Brown

Alan is a digital technologist, researcher, and entrepreneur. He holds a Professorship in Digital Economy at the University of Exeter, UK and held a Fellowship at the Alan Turing Institute, the UK National institute for data science and AI.

Digital Economy Dispatch #263 -- A Review of the Digital Economy in 2025

Digital Economy Dispatch #263 -- A Review of the Digital Economy in 2025

As we reflect on the year we find that AI moved from experiment to enterprise reality in 2025, exposing critical gaps in governance, trust, and human-centred leadership that will demand urgent attention in the year to come.

Alan Brown
Alan Brown
Digital Economy Dispatch #262 -- Are We Ready for AI Agents in the Workforce?

Digital Economy Dispatch #262 -- Are We Ready for AI Agents in the Workforce?

AI agents represent a real technological advance over previous automation attempts. But, organisations are repeating historical mistakes by focusing on technology deployment rather than the organisational change management that actually determines success.

Alan Brown
Alan Brown
Digital Economy Dispatch #261 -- AI Economics 101

Digital Economy Dispatch #261 -- AI Economics 101

Facing volatile environment, today's leaders must understand both how AI changes their business economics and how Big Tech's trillion-dollar bets will shape their future costs and dependencies.

Alan Brown
Alan Brown
Digital Economy Dispatch #260 -- In Praise of Middle Management

Digital Economy Dispatch #260 -- In Praise of Middle Management

We're being told AI will replace large numbers of workers, with "middle managers" a prime target. But, what if AI is not so much a threat to middle managers, but a way to liberate them from administrative drudgery to allow them to focus on what they were actually hired for: leading people.

Alan Brown
Alan Brown
Digital Economy Dispatch #259 -- Untangling the Myth of "Could" vs "Should" in AI Decision-Making

Digital Economy Dispatch #259 -- Untangling the Myth of "Could" vs "Should" in AI Decision-Making

AI is blurring the lines in decision making. As you evolve your AI strategy, if you still think AI handles the “could", while humans control the “should”, you may be leading your organization astray.

Alan Brown
Alan Brown
Digital Economy Dispatch #258 -- Why GenAI is Driving Me Crazy!

Digital Economy Dispatch #258 -- Why GenAI is Driving Me Crazy!

Alan Brown
Alan Brown
Digital Economy Dispatch #257 -- Who Do We Trust With AI?

Digital Economy Dispatch #257 -- Who Do We Trust With AI?

Adopting powerful AI tools demands a critical focus on who owns and controls AI -- a tension very well described in Parmy Olson's book, Supremacy.

Alan Brown
Alan Brown
Digital Economy Dispatch #256 -- How Much of That Did You Write?

Digital Economy Dispatch #256 -- How Much of That Did You Write?

Now, AI touches almost everything we read, from academic papers to strategy presentations. The real question we must ask is: how intelligently and responsibly is AI being applied?

Alan Brown
Alan Brown
Digital Economy Dispatch #255 -- Fragile AI and How Not to Fail the Resilience Test

Digital Economy Dispatch #255 -- Fragile AI and How Not to Fail the Resilience Test

Our reliance on digital technology has left UK enterprises exposed to breakdowns and attacks. Rapid AI adoption will make this worse. Resilience and governance must now be urgent boardroom priorities.

Alan Brown
Alan Brown
Digital Economy Dispatch #254 -- Surviving AI Sprawl

Digital Economy Dispatch #254 -- Surviving AI Sprawl

AI sprawl is growing. This rapid, uncontrolled spread of GenAI and specialized AI tools across an organization is creating an urgent governance crisis. What can organizations do?

Alan Brown
Alan Brown