BLOG: A look back at TISA AI Conference 2026
From Hype to Action
On 4th February, TISA hosted its first AI Conference, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers and regulators to focus on responsible AI adoption in financial services, which was chaired by Phil Turnpenny, Policy Executive at TISA and lead for this area.
We were delighted to welcome Dame Chi Onwurah MP, Chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee, who shared insights on trust, consumer protection and the UK’s opportunity to lead in the global AI landscape.
▶️ View the highlights of our AI Conference here: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7424855286244610049
The conversation has clearly shifted, away from hype and towards governance, data quality and delivering better customer outcomes. A consistent theme throughout the day was that healthy data fuels effective AI and that trust must underpin innovation.
We also heard from the Financial Conduct Authority (Ian Phoenix, Director of Intelligence, Digital, and Innovation, FCA) on initiatives supporting firms, including its AI Lab and Supercharged Sandbox, reinforcing that the UK’s principles-based regulatory model remains central as AI adoption scales.
The conference showcased what TISA does best: convening the right voices to surface practical challenges, shape regulatory thinking and help the industry move forward with confidence.
Thank you to our partner Accenture UK & Ireland, and to Burges Salmon LLP, our host, for helping make the day such a success.
And of course, thank you to all our speakers, panellists and attendees for bringing insight, challenge and energy to the room; we hope to continue the conversation with you next year.
What attendees said
“A great event with insight and a range of relevant views from Regulators and practitioners about current and future challenges.“
“Great event with lots of insights and a wide range of keynote speakers and attendees.“
A message from the conference partner – Accenture
“The first AI conference by TISA was an excellent day for sharing thought leadership with leaders in the life, pensions, and investments space at the cutting edge of innovation. I learned a lot and made some fantastic new connections.
Thank you to the TISA team for running a great event – am looking forward to attending more in the future!”
– John Kinson, Digital Director, Altus Consulting, part of Accenture
Highlights from the conference host – Burges Salmon
Author: Kerry Berchem, Practice Development Lawyer, Financial Services, Burges Salmon
TISA’s inaugural AI Summit took place yesterday and it was a brilliant success
This is what industry bodies excel at:
💡 Getting experienced people from all relevant corners of the industry together in the room
🔦 Surfacing ideas and issues, sharing problems and concerns
👏 Taking matters to the regulatory coal face and getting voices heard
👍 Shaping the future of regulation for the industry and all of its participants
The same buzz words and phrases are now bouncing around the echo chamber like a super-ball:
🏀 Safer will be faster
🏐 Take risks while being responsible
🥎 Healthy data is the fuel
⚾ Trust
The FCA is doing fantastic things in the space of supporting innovative firms from idea to market-ready through its:
💡 AI LAB
💡 Sprints and Spotlights
💡 Supercharged Sandbox
💡 Innovation Pathways
💡 Scale-up unit
💡 Collaborations like the most recently announced one with the Centre for Finance, Technology and Entrepeneurship…but what it really needs now is lots of comprehensive, well-considered and persuasive, intelligence from across the entire industry about how and with what to fill the space currently existing between AI and existing financial services regulation
🔦 This intelligence is what will make a real practical difference for all firms wanting to deploy AI as part of their business model because it will help the FCA to see exactly where guidance and clarity is needed to help firms
So, if you are wondering about what AI governance looks like, how to build a team around your AI, what kind of AI might solve your problem, how to get your data ready, how SMCR and Consumer Duty will apply, what AI enforcement might look like, what your supply chain risks are and how to manage them, what inventories you should have, or where to even start…… then now is your time to get involved and raise those questions and concerns that are keeping you awake at night
What can you do?
💡 Accept that the FCA’s principles-based and outcomes-focused regulatory approach is here to stay
💡 Seize the opportunity to respond, in full, to The Mills Review by the deadline of 24 February – either in your own right or with the help of one of your industry bodies
