Through 2023 global geopolitical risks and extreme weather events continue to exert their influence on the UK, emphasising the need for bold policy and industry responses to foster resilience.
Nowhere is that more apparent than in the energy sector, where clear routes to decarbonisation and a more secure system for the future are priorities. The focus here, as in other sectors, is on how fast and far the transition can be realised. For some sectors that is extremely challenging. Healthcare is one example. Net zero must be added to a long list of considerations that includes ongoing staffing concerns and the National Health Service’s record waiting lists and estate maintenance backlogs.
All sectors have observed the dramatic changes in the digital landscape this year, not only in increased cyber threat levels but also with the emergence of generative artificial intelligence. The explosion in AI raises many questions around its potential opportunities and threats, which governments, businesses and broader society are only just starting to explore.
Our leading experts look back at their predictions for 2023 and discuss the progress and give their insights on what’s coming.
ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY
Energy policy is progressing, industry is responding, but we need to and can go faster.
Energy efficiency, demand-side flexibility and the emergence of new technologies, techniques, business models and consumer behaviours all looked set for increased prominence at the start of the year.
Our original predictions remain valid, but there have been changes over the past six months. We hope they will support the longer-term outcomes needed to maintain a secure and stable energy system.
Our Experts
- Miriam Atkin
Director of Energy
- James Higgins
Partner – Low Carbon
- Gavin Beresford
Principal Consultant
ELECTRIC VEHICLES
Roll-out of charging infrastructure and a focus on fleets are boosting the EV sector.
Electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure provision and vehicle sales made an excellent start to the year. There has been a significant increase in the roll-out of public charging infrastructure across the UK, with the Government recording a 37% increase in total public charge points from April 2022 to April 2023.
Our Expert
- Joachim Brandt
Head of Electric & Autonomous Vehicles
DATA PRIVACY
Generative AI is taking the world by storm, but raising questions around data privacy that may not be answered soon.
There has been one major event whose impact we didn’t foresee in our January predictions. In November 2022 the US-based artificial intelligence (AI) research laboratory OpenAI launched its beta test of ChatGPT free to the public, and its meteoric rise this year has taken the world by surprise.
Our Expert
- Camilla Winlo
Head of Data Privacy
CYBER SECURITY
Geopolitical turbulence and AI are changing the cyber threat environment and increasing the need for vigilance.
This has been a challenging start to the year for cyber security, with the threat environment evolving significantly. A technical landscape driven by rapid advancements, largely in artificial Intelligence (AI), has been set against the backdrop of turbulent geopolitical events as the shadow of war has returned to Europe.
Our Expert
- Ian Hirst
Partner, Cyber Threat Services
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
As the digital sector outpaces the UK’s broader economy, the government looks to take a global lead on ethics and safety.
Earlier this year, we predicted that the UK’s digital economy would diverge. On the one hand, the tech sector continues to grow at pace; on the other, the UK economy is struggling to keep up digitally. That still rings true and increasingly looks like a persistent feature of our economy
Our Expert
- Vincenzo Rampulla
Principal Consultant
HEALTHCARE
Cutting waiting lists and carbon emissions are priorities for NHS England and both require action on a large scale.
The industrial action that began across the National Health Service (NHS) in England in December 2022 continues to cause day-to-day disruption and generate uncertainty around service delivery
Our Expert
- Richard Hilson
Principal Consultant – Sustainable Healthcare
