AI Consultancy That Helps UK SMEs Speak AI with Confidence
Not sure where to start with AI? You are not alone. Most UK SMEs know AI matters but struggle to separate genuine opportunity from hype. We cut through the noise with hands-on training, honest consultancy and implementation that fits your team, not a generic playbook.
Your business can start using AI practically and effectively with structured training, a clear strategy and the right support. Hartz AI is a London-based consultancy that has helped over 500 UK SME employees build real AI capability - 85% become self-sufficient within 12 months. Start with a workshop, scale with a fractional Chief AI Officer.
Trusted by teams across UK sport, charities, professional services, education, healthcare and real estate.
How we help
How does Hartz AI help UK businesses adopt AI?
Training
Hartz AI delivers hands-on AI training workshops for UK SMEs, from half-day introductions to three-day intensive programmes. Your team leaves each session confident enough to use AI tools the same week.
Consultancy
Hartz AI provides AI consultancy and fractional Chief AI Officer services for UK businesses with 10 to 250 employees. From AI readiness audits to strategic roadmapping, we help you move forward with a clear plan.
Implementation
Hartz AI builds bespoke AI solutions and helps you decide when to build custom vs buy off-the-shelf. Every project includes team training and documentation so your people run it independently.
Governance
Hartz AI conducts AI governance audits and builds compliance frameworks aligned with evolving UK AI regulation. We help you use AI responsibly and reduce risk.
AI Demystified
A clear path to AI capability
We make AI simple, practical and human. Our work combines training, consultancy and implementation so your team can use AI in the tools they already know, without needing a technical background.
Learn
Plain-English AI foundations for leaders and teams. We connect ideas to real tasks like drafting, planning, analysis and reporting. Only 32% of UK workers have received AI training (Gov.uk, 2025). Our workshops close that gap in a single day.
- AI literacy workshops and leadership briefings
- Simple language, practical examples
- Real scenarios from UK SMEs
Apply
We help you bring AI into real workflows, one step at a time. Together we design simple, safe ways for your team to use AI in their daily work. Teams using structured AI playbooks see 3-5x faster adoption than self-directed learning.
- Workflow-focused tool exploration
- Simple playbooks and prompts for your roles
- Policy-aware, safe adoption
Succeed
We stay close enough for your team to feel supported, but not dependent. You see clear progress in both confidence and results. 85% of Hartz AI clients become self-sufficient within 12 months.
- Success metrics and simple impact tracking
- Champion development and coaching
- Space to experiment safely and improve
AI consultancy for UK businesses
What makes a good AI consultancy for UK SMEs?
The best AI consultancy for a small business in the UK is one that understands your scale. Most AI consulting firms serve enterprise clients with large budgets and dedicated technology teams. UK SMEs need something different: practical guidance, hands-on training and solutions that work within existing resources and headcount.
Hartz AI is an AI consultancy built specifically for UK SMEs with 10 to 250 employees. We combine strategic AI consultancy with implementation support so your team does not just receive a report; they gain the skills and tools to act on it. Our clients span professional services, charities, education, sport and real estate.
When comparing AI consulting companies in the UK for SMEs, look for three things: sector experience, a capability-building approach, and transparent pricing. Hartz AI publishes its workshop rates, offers fractional Chief AI Officer retainers from £2,000 per month, and measures success by how quickly your team becomes self-sufficient.
Whether you need a one-off AI readiness audit, a structured training programme or ongoing fractional AI leadership, Hartz AI provides AI consultancy and services designed for the UK SME market. Craig Hartzel founded Hartz AI to give small and medium-sized businesses a clear, jargon-free path to AI capability.
Pragmatic results
A simple roadmap to tangible ROI
We follow a clear, phased model. Each step builds confidence and delivers real outcomes, from the first quick wins through to longer-term capability and leadership.
Phase 1
AI readiness audit
- Capability and process mapping
- Automation and efficiency opportunities
- Risk policy and compliance review
- 67% of businesses succeed with a consultant vs 33% going DIY (MIT Sloan, 2024)
typical duration
evaluated
Phase 1
AI readiness audit
- Capability and process mapping
- Automation and efficiency opportunities
- Risk policy and compliance review
- 67% of businesses succeed with a consultant vs 33% going DIY (MIT Sloan, 2024)
typical duration
evaluated
Phase 2
Strategic AI roadmap
- Prioritised initiatives and early wins
- Budget and resource alignment
- Simple narrative for leaders and teams
implementation horizon
prioritised
implementation horizon
prioritised
Phase 2
Strategic AI roadmap
- Prioritised initiatives and early wins
- Budget and resource alignment
- Simple narrative for leaders and teams
Phase 3
Quick wins delivery
- Tool setup and workflow integration
- Hands-on support while habits form
- Time savings and impact measured clearly
to first results
typical time saved
Phase 3
Quick wins delivery
- Tool setup and workflow integration
- Hands-on support while habits form
- Time savings and impact measured clearly
to first results
typical time saved
Phase 4
Scale and independence
- Fractional Chief AI Officer support
- Internal champions and communities of practice
- Governance policy and ethics support
self-sufficient within 12mo
typical achieved
self-sufficient within 12mo
typical achieved
Phase 4
Scale and independence
- Fractional Chief AI Officer support
- Internal champions and communities of practice
- Governance policy and ethics support
AI for SMEs
How can I use AI in my small business in the UK?
AI for small business in the UK starts with identifying repetitive tasks your team already does: data entry, report writing, scheduling, customer queries or document review. These are safe, high-value starting points where practical AI tools deliver measurable time savings within weeks, not months.
Is AI worth it for small businesses in the UK? The UK Government reported in 2025 that just 14% of small businesses currently use AI, yet those that do report significant efficiency gains. Early adopters in the SME market are already automating processes, improving customer response times and reducing administrative overhead.
The challenge for most UK SMEs is not whether AI can help, but where to begin. A structured AI readiness audit identifies the opportunities specific to your organisation and maps a realistic path forward. No jargon, no over-promising, just practical AI for UK businesses at your scale.
Hartz AI works exclusively with AI for SMEs in the UK. We help teams of 10 to 250 adopt AI tools they can use independently. Start with a half-day workshop and leave the same day with skills your team can apply immediately. Scale to consultancy and implementation when you are ready.
Empowering partnership
Support that builds independence
Our aim is simple: you should feel able to lead with AI without us. We combine education, advisory support, and co-development so your team can make confident decisions on their own.
Working side-by-side with clients to build practical AI capability together
Partnership, not hand-off
Craig Hartzel founded Hartz AI to give UK businesses a clear path to AI capability. We don't just deliver a report or dashboard and leave. We walk alongside your team, build skills and confidence, and gradually step back as you take the lead.
Knowledge transfer first
Every piece of work comes with sessions, guides and examples so your team can run and adapt it confidently.
Internal champions
We help you spot and support the people in your organisation who can become trusted go-to voices on AI.
Strategic, not sales-driven
Our advice is shaped by your goals, not by a particular tool or vendor. We stay focused on what makes sense for your organisation in the long term.
How we like to work
Co-design, not dictate
We build plans with you, not for you. Your knowledge of your organisation comes first.
Human-centred
We design around your people, their confidence levels and their day-to-day work, not just around the technology.
Sustainable pace
We prefer steady, manageable progress over big-bang launches that are hard to maintain.
Our Services
What AI services does Hartz AI offer?
Hartz AI helps UK SMEs build AI capability at every stage, across professional services, charities, sport, education, real estate and retail. Start small with training, go deeper with consultancy and implementation, or ask us to build something bespoke.
AI Training and Workshops
Hartz AI delivers hands-on AI training workshops for UK businesses. Sessions range from half-day introductions to three-day intensive programmes. Over 500 professionals trained to date.
AI Readiness Audit
A structured assessment of your processes, tools, data and people. We evaluate 40+ areas to uncover safe, high-value AI opportunities specific to your organisation.
Strategic AI Roadmapping
A clear, time-bound plan to introduce training, tools and automation at a pace that suits your organisation. Aligned with your budget and resource capacity.
AI Implementation Support
Hartz AI builds and deploys AI solutions into your existing tools and workflows. Every implementation includes team training and documentation so your people run it independently.
AI Champion Programmes
Coaching and support for the people in your organisation who will lead AI adoption. We help you build internal expertise that scales across teams.
Ongoing Advisory
Hartz AI offers ongoing AI advisory support through regular check-ins. We keep your AI work aligned with evolving business goals and emerging tools.
AI ROI and Impact Tracking
Clear measures of time saved, cost reduced and quality improved. We help you quantify AI value so you can make informed decisions about where to invest next.
Fractional Chief AI Officer
Hartz AI provides fractional Chief AI Officer services for UK SMEs. Executive-level AI leadership covering strategy, governance and vendor selection without a full-time salary.
Bespoke AI Solutions
Custom tools, private GPTs and tailored workflows designed around your processes and data. Hartz AI builds bespoke AI solutions, not someone else's template.
Training and implementation
Why choose one partner for AI training and implementation in the UK?
Most UK businesses buy AI training from one provider and implementation from another. The result is a gap between what your team learns and what actually gets built. Hartz AI delivers AI training and consultancy together so the skills your team gains connect directly to the tools and workflows they will use.
As an AI training and implementation partner in the UK, Hartz AI covers the full journey. We start with hands-on AI training for businesses - workshops that build confidence and practical skills. When your team is ready, we move into AI implementation for your UK business: building tools, integrating AI into existing systems and documenting everything.
Think of Hartz AI as a one-stop shop for AI services for UK SMEs. Training, consultancy, implementation and governance sit under one roof. That means consistent advice, no duplicated effort and a single team that knows your business, your people and your goals from day one.
MIT Sloan research (2024) found that businesses working with a dedicated AI consultant achieve a 67% success rate on AI projects, compared with 33% for those going it alone. A combined training and implementation approach reduces friction and accelerates time to value for UK businesses of every size.
Not sure where to start?
Many of our clients begin with the same question. A short conversation is often the easiest way to uncover a simple, low-risk first step.
Schedule a free discovery callFrom confusion to clarity
It's completely normal to feel behind with AI. Most leaders we speak to worry about 'missing the wave' while also not wanting to chase every new tool. Our role is to slow things down, give you clear language and show you what matters for your context.
Plain-English explanations
We avoid jargon and keep conversations grounded in real examples from your team's work.
Business-first approach
We start with your goals, bottlenecks and people. AI is a means to an end, not the story in itself.
Supportive learning environment
No question is too basic. We create space for people to ask, try things out and learn together without judgement.
Evidence-based recommendations
Every suggestion is backed by data from real UK SME implementations, not theory. We show you what worked, what didn't, and why.
A team gaining clarity during a real Hartz AI hands-on training session
Success stories
From "I'm terrified of AI" to "I can do this"
Here are a few examples of how leaders and teams have gone from nervous and unsure to confident and creative in how they use AI day to day.
“Craig's Prompt Engineering course was nothing short of transformative. The 3 days were full of lightbulb moments and clarity in a way that you can only experience when sitting in the training room. What stood out was the trainer's ability to break down complex concepts into simple, practical steps that I could immediately apply across my organisation.”
“I attended Craig's Prompt Engineering course which was spread over 3 days and was everything I had hoped it would be and much more. It was very informative and after each session I was left eager as the possibilities of how this would transform my way of working. Craig took the time to explain everything clearly and in bite size portions.”
“Great course & great instructor. Before I did this course on AI prompting, I didn't see what all the fuss was about. However, with what I have learnt during this course, I realise proper AI prompting is an unbelievably powerful tool. This course has left me very excited about all the things one can do with properly structured AI prompts.”
“I had the pleasure of completing four one-hour sessions with Craig and they were absolutely fantastic. Each session was packed with valuable insights, all delivered in a clear and engaging way. The content was informative and practical, making it easy to apply within my organisation. Highly recommend!”
“I found Craig's AI prompt course and his one to one AI development training really informative and useful. His engaging way of teaching the content is really refreshing. I highly recommend him.”
Explore Hartz AI
Where to go next
Industries we serve
See how Hartz AI supports charities, professional services, sport, education, real estate and retail across the UK.
Resources
Free guides, templates and tools to help your team get started with AI before you engage a consultant.
Blog
Practical articles on AI adoption, training insights and implementation lessons from real UK SME projects.
About Hartz AI
Meet the team behind Hartz AI. Craig Hartzel founded the consultancy to give UK businesses a clear path to AI capability.
Common questions
What do people ask about Hartz AI?
A gentle first step into AI
Book a 15-minute clarity call
No pitch deck. No pressure. Just a short conversation about where you are now and a couple of practical ideas for how AI could help your team. Craig Hartzel founded Hartz AI to give UK businesses a clear path to AI capability.
We'll come back to you within one working day.
Use the call to explore ideas safely, with no commitment.
Leave with at least one concrete next step.