Building data and AI capability inside the UK's data regulator

What does it take to build a modern data and AI capability inside the organisation responsible for protecting information rights across the UK? In this episode of Hub & Spoken, Jason Foster, CEO and Founder of Cynozure, speaks with Rob Holtom, Executive Director for Digital, Data, Technology and Customer Experience at the ICO, the UK's independent regulator for information rights. Together, they explore what it means to lead data and AI adoption from inside a regulator: balancing innovation with public trust, building capability without losing sight of value, and creating space for experimentation while staying grounded in responsibility. Rob shares how the ICO has approached capability building by starting with people, developing strategic as well as operational skills, and using data and AI to improve scale, efficiency and decision-making. The conversation also looks at why generative AI matters for regulators, where it can unlock value, and why data teams need to stay closely involved rather than treating it as someone else's problem. This is a practical conversation about leadership, policy, experimentation and the reality of using data well in complex organisations.