Amer Altaf
@arkava.ai
Founder & CEO, Arkava.ai – sovereign AI automation for UK & EU organisations who need results, not experiments. 75% of AI investments fail; we fix that gap. Managing Editor, The Control Layer. Former CIO. Building AI that earns its keep.
UK admits cyber risk "critically high." 204 incidents in 12 months — 2.3× last year. 28% of public sector IT is legacy. 2030 targets "not achievable."
Full analysis: TheControlLayer.arkava.ai
#CyberSecurity #UKGov
Full analysis: TheControlLayer.arkava.ai
#CyberSecurity #UKGov
February 9, 2026 at 8:30 AM
UK admits cyber risk "critically high." 204 incidents in 12 months — 2.3× last year. 28% of public sector IT is legacy. 2030 targets "not achievable."
Full analysis: TheControlLayer.arkava.ai
#CyberSecurity #UKGov
Full analysis: TheControlLayer.arkava.ai
#CyberSecurity #UKGov
The more we automate, the more valuable human judgment becomes. Not less. More.
Every automated system has edge cases where data says one thing and reality says another.
When did you last override an algorithm because your gut said it was wrong?
Every automated system has edge cases where data says one thing and reality says another.
When did you last override an algorithm because your gut said it was wrong?
February 5, 2026 at 9:02 AM
The more we automate, the more valuable human judgment becomes. Not less. More.
Every automated system has edge cases where data says one thing and reality says another.
When did you last override an algorithm because your gut said it was wrong?
Every automated system has edge cases where data says one thing and reality says another.
When did you last override an algorithm because your gut said it was wrong?
Everyone's debating whether AI will take your job.
Nobody's debating whether AI will take your purpose.
Humans don't just need income. We need to matter.
What gives your work meaning beyond the paycheque?
Nobody's debating whether AI will take your purpose.
Humans don't just need income. We need to matter.
What gives your work meaning beyond the paycheque?
February 4, 2026 at 9:02 AM
Everyone's debating whether AI will take your job.
Nobody's debating whether AI will take your purpose.
Humans don't just need income. We need to matter.
What gives your work meaning beyond the paycheque?
Nobody's debating whether AI will take your purpose.
Humans don't just need income. We need to matter.
What gives your work meaning beyond the paycheque?
$350B in government compute commitments this week.
US-Taiwan: $250B chips
Singapore: S$1B AI
Nvidia stalled: $100B
Compute is now sovereign. UK has capability. Still waiting on strategy.
thecontrollayer.arkava.ai
#AISovereignty #UKTech
US-Taiwan: $250B chips
Singapore: S$1B AI
Nvidia stalled: $100B
Compute is now sovereign. UK has capability. Still waiting on strategy.
thecontrollayer.arkava.ai
#AISovereignty #UKTech
February 3, 2026 at 1:03 PM
$350B in government compute commitments this week.
US-Taiwan: $250B chips
Singapore: S$1B AI
Nvidia stalled: $100B
Compute is now sovereign. UK has capability. Still waiting on strategy.
thecontrollayer.arkava.ai
#AISovereignty #UKTech
US-Taiwan: $250B chips
Singapore: S$1B AI
Nvidia stalled: $100B
Compute is now sovereign. UK has capability. Still waiting on strategy.
thecontrollayer.arkava.ai
#AISovereignty #UKTech
Compliance ≠ Security.
Most organisations can show you their policies. Far fewer can show you their last incident response.
Which side of that gap does your organisation sit on?
Most organisations can show you their policies. Far fewer can show you their last incident response.
Which side of that gap does your organisation sit on?
February 3, 2026 at 9:02 AM
Compliance ≠ Security.
Most organisations can show you their policies. Far fewer can show you their last incident response.
Which side of that gap does your organisation sit on?
Most organisations can show you their policies. Far fewer can show you their last incident response.
Which side of that gap does your organisation sit on?
Every AI demo I've seen this month would collapse under actual enterprise data.
What's the biggest gap you've witnessed between "look what it can do" and "look what it actually did"?
What's the biggest gap you've witnessed between "look what it can do" and "look what it actually did"?
February 2, 2026 at 10:02 AM
Every AI demo I've seen this month would collapse under actual enterprise data.
What's the biggest gap you've witnessed between "look what it can do" and "look what it actually did"?
What's the biggest gap you've witnessed between "look what it can do" and "look what it actually did"?
Sunday evening thought before the week begins:
You can't predict the problems coming. But you can decide now what you won't compromise on when they arrive.
Principles aren't tested when things are easy. They're tested when things get hard.
Know yours before you need them.
You can't predict the problems coming. But you can decide now what you won't compromise on when they arrive.
Principles aren't tested when things are easy. They're tested when things get hard.
Know yours before you need them.
February 1, 2026 at 6:31 PM
Sunday evening thought before the week begins:
You can't predict the problems coming. But you can decide now what you won't compromise on when they arrive.
Principles aren't tested when things are easy. They're tested when things get hard.
Know yours before you need them.
You can't predict the problems coming. But you can decide now what you won't compromise on when they arrive.
Principles aren't tested when things are easy. They're tested when things get hard.
Know yours before you need them.
Sunday question: What would you do if your business was already "successful enough"?
Most founders can't answer because they've never defined enough. The goalposts move forever if you don't plant them yourself.
What does enough look like for you?
Most founders can't answer because they've never defined enough. The goalposts move forever if you don't plant them yourself.
What does enough look like for you?
February 1, 2026 at 10:02 AM
Sunday question: What would you do if your business was already "successful enough"?
Most founders can't answer because they've never defined enough. The goalposts move forever if you don't plant them yourself.
What does enough look like for you?
Most founders can't answer because they've never defined enough. The goalposts move forever if you don't plant them yourself.
What does enough look like for you?
Saturday thought: Automation should buy you presence, not just productivity.
If your systems don't give you time back for what matters—people, rest, thinking—you've optimised for the wrong outcome.
Efficiency without purpose is just elegant busyness.
If your systems don't give you time back for what matters—people, rest, thinking—you've optimised for the wrong outcome.
Efficiency without purpose is just elegant busyness.
January 31, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Saturday thought: Automation should buy you presence, not just productivity.
If your systems don't give you time back for what matters—people, rest, thinking—you've optimised for the wrong outcome.
Efficiency without purpose is just elegant busyness.
If your systems don't give you time back for what matters—people, rest, thinking—you've optimised for the wrong outcome.
Efficiency without purpose is just elegant busyness.
"Move fast and break things" made sense when we were breaking features and UIs. Not democracies, employment systems, and children's mental health.
Different stakes require different speeds.
When did velocity become confused with virtue?
Different stakes require different speeds.
When did velocity become confused with virtue?
January 31, 2026 at 10:01 AM
"Move fast and break things" made sense when we were breaking features and UIs. Not democracies, employment systems, and children's mental health.
Different stakes require different speeds.
When did velocity become confused with virtue?
Different stakes require different speeds.
When did velocity become confused with virtue?
The AI race isn't really about algorithms. It's about values.
Which corners are you willing to cut? Which principles are non-negotiable? What are you building for—and who gets left behind?
Technology is neutral. The choices around it never are.
Which corners are you willing to cut? Which principles are non-negotiable? What are you building for—and who gets left behind?
Technology is neutral. The choices around it never are.
January 30, 2026 at 6:30 PM
The AI race isn't really about algorithms. It's about values.
Which corners are you willing to cut? Which principles are non-negotiable? What are you building for—and who gets left behind?
Technology is neutral. The choices around it never are.
Which corners are you willing to cut? Which principles are non-negotiable? What are you building for—and who gets left behind?
Technology is neutral. The choices around it never are.
The most dangerous phrase in AI right now: "The model says."
It's becoming shorthand for avoiding human judgment. A way to outsource accountability to a probability distribution.
When did confidence scores become a substitute for someone willing to own the decision?
It's becoming shorthand for avoiding human judgment. A way to outsource accountability to a probability distribution.
When did confidence scores become a substitute for someone willing to own the decision?
January 30, 2026 at 10:02 AM
The most dangerous phrase in AI right now: "The model says."
It's becoming shorthand for avoiding human judgment. A way to outsource accountability to a probability distribution.
When did confidence scores become a substitute for someone willing to own the decision?
It's becoming shorthand for avoiding human judgment. A way to outsource accountability to a probability distribution.
When did confidence scores become a substitute for someone willing to own the decision?
Attended another AI demo today. Flawless.
Then asked: "Edge cases? Production failure rate? Hallucination handling?"
The answers were less impressive than the PowerPoint.
The demo is the trailer. Production is the film. Most trailers lie.
Then asked: "Edge cases? Production failure rate? Hallucination handling?"
The answers were less impressive than the PowerPoint.
The demo is the trailer. Production is the film. Most trailers lie.
January 29, 2026 at 6:31 PM
Attended another AI demo today. Flawless.
Then asked: "Edge cases? Production failure rate? Hallucination handling?"
The answers were less impressive than the PowerPoint.
The demo is the trailer. Production is the film. Most trailers lie.
Then asked: "Edge cases? Production failure rate? Hallucination handling?"
The answers were less impressive than the PowerPoint.
The demo is the trailer. Production is the film. Most trailers lie.
Every country is suddenly discovering they don't control the AI infrastructure their future depends on.
Tech sovereignty used to be a fringe concern for policy wonks. Now it's keeping defence ministers awake.
What took so long? What were we all looking at instead?
Tech sovereignty used to be a fringe concern for policy wonks. Now it's keeping defence ministers awake.
What took so long? What were we all looking at instead?
January 29, 2026 at 9:03 AM
Every country is suddenly discovering they don't control the AI infrastructure their future depends on.
Tech sovereignty used to be a fringe concern for policy wonks. Now it's keeping defence ministers awake.
What took so long? What were we all looking at instead?
Tech sovereignty used to be a fringe concern for policy wonks. Now it's keeping defence ministers awake.
What took so long? What were we all looking at instead?
Building a company teaches you one thing above all else: the difference between confidence and certainty.
Confidence is acting despite not knowing. Certainty is pretending you do.
The second one is more comfortable. The first one is honest.
Confidence is acting despite not knowing. Certainty is pretending you do.
The second one is more comfortable. The first one is honest.
January 28, 2026 at 6:31 PM
Building a company teaches you one thing above all else: the difference between confidence and certainty.
Confidence is acting despite not knowing. Certainty is pretending you do.
The second one is more comfortable. The first one is honest.
Confidence is acting despite not knowing. Certainty is pretending you do.
The second one is more comfortable. The first one is honest.
EU AI Act delayed 18 months. UK government silent on AI legislation.
This isn't compliance relief — it's a strategic inflection point.
UK organisations must choose: EU alignment, UK-specific frameworks, or wait and see.
Full breakdown: https://link.arkava.ai/18-months-choice
#AIGovernance #UKTech
This isn't compliance relief — it's a strategic inflection point.
UK organisations must choose: EU alignment, UK-specific frameworks, or wait and see.
Full breakdown: https://link.arkava.ai/18-months-choice
#AIGovernance #UKTech
January 28, 2026 at 10:02 AM
EU AI Act delayed 18 months. UK government silent on AI legislation.
This isn't compliance relief — it's a strategic inflection point.
UK organisations must choose: EU alignment, UK-specific frameworks, or wait and see.
Full breakdown: https://link.arkava.ai/18-months-choice
#AIGovernance #UKTech
This isn't compliance relief — it's a strategic inflection point.
UK organisations must choose: EU alignment, UK-specific frameworks, or wait and see.
Full breakdown: https://link.arkava.ai/18-months-choice
#AIGovernance #UKTech
The leaders who'll thrive in the AI era aren't racing to automate everything. They're the ones who can articulate what should never be automated.
Accountability. Moral judgment. Presence.
What's on your "humans only" list?
Accountability. Moral judgment. Presence.
What's on your "humans only" list?
January 28, 2026 at 9:02 AM
The leaders who'll thrive in the AI era aren't racing to automate everything. They're the ones who can articulate what should never be automated.
Accountability. Moral judgment. Presence.
What's on your "humans only" list?
Accountability. Moral judgment. Presence.
What's on your "humans only" list?
Realised something today: the people I trust most with AI are the ones quickest to say "this isn't an AI problem."
The real skill isn't prompting. It's pattern recognition—knowing when technology is the answer and when it's an expensive distraction.
The real skill isn't prompting. It's pattern recognition—knowing when technology is the answer and when it's an expensive distraction.
January 27, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Realised something today: the people I trust most with AI are the ones quickest to say "this isn't an AI problem."
The real skill isn't prompting. It's pattern recognition—knowing when technology is the answer and when it's an expensive distraction.
The real skill isn't prompting. It's pattern recognition—knowing when technology is the answer and when it's an expensive distraction.
Your company's cybersecurity is probably a checklist, not a culture.
Compliance creates the illusion of safety. Culture is what happens when the checklist runs out and someone has to make a judgment call.
When did you last see a security team empowered to actually say no?
Compliance creates the illusion of safety. Culture is what happens when the checklist runs out and someone has to make a judgment call.
When did you last see a security team empowered to actually say no?
January 27, 2026 at 9:03 AM
Your company's cybersecurity is probably a checklist, not a culture.
Compliance creates the illusion of safety. Culture is what happens when the checklist runs out and someone has to make a judgment call.
When did you last see a security team empowered to actually say no?
Compliance creates the illusion of safety. Culture is what happens when the checklist runs out and someone has to make a judgment call.
When did you last see a security team empowered to actually say no?
Spent the day reviewing AI deployment proposals. The pattern: detailed plans for what the system will do. Almost nothing on what happens when it fails.
Speed to market isn't strategy. It's hope wearing a suit.
Something worth sitting with.
Speed to market isn't strategy. It's hope wearing a suit.
Something worth sitting with.
January 26, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Spent the day reviewing AI deployment proposals. The pattern: detailed plans for what the system will do. Almost nothing on what happens when it fails.
Speed to market isn't strategy. It's hope wearing a suit.
Something worth sitting with.
Speed to market isn't strategy. It's hope wearing a suit.
Something worth sitting with.
Most AI transformation projects are theatre. Executives tick the box, consultants get paid, nothing fundamentally changes.
I've developed my own tells for spotting performance vs genuine change. What are yours?
I've developed my own tells for spotting performance vs genuine change. What are yours?
January 26, 2026 at 9:02 AM
Most AI transformation projects are theatre. Executives tick the box, consultants get paid, nothing fundamentally changes.
I've developed my own tells for spotting performance vs genuine change. What are yours?
I've developed my own tells for spotting performance vs genuine change. What are yours?
The goal isn't more money. It's more options.
Financial freedom means money doesn't own your decisions.
That's a subtly different target than most people aim for. And it changes everything about how you build.
Follow The Control Layer for more.
Financial freedom means money doesn't own your decisions.
That's a subtly different target than most people aim for. And it changes everything about how you build.
Follow The Control Layer for more.
January 25, 2026 at 7:30 PM
The goal isn't more money. It's more options.
Financial freedom means money doesn't own your decisions.
That's a subtly different target than most people aim for. And it changes everything about how you build.
Follow The Control Layer for more.
Financial freedom means money doesn't own your decisions.
That's a subtly different target than most people aim for. And it changes everything about how you build.
Follow The Control Layer for more.
High-risk AI governance foundations:
Risk assessment (classify, document data, map bias)
Human oversight (review, intervention triggers)
Post-market monitoring (tracking, incidents)
Cybersecurity (integrity, poisoning, injection defence)
EU deadline: 194 days. Most orgs: 0/4 complete
#AIGovernance
Risk assessment (classify, document data, map bias)
Human oversight (review, intervention triggers)
Post-market monitoring (tracking, incidents)
Cybersecurity (integrity, poisoning, injection defence)
EU deadline: 194 days. Most orgs: 0/4 complete
#AIGovernance
January 25, 2026 at 2:01 PM
High-risk AI governance foundations:
Risk assessment (classify, document data, map bias)
Human oversight (review, intervention triggers)
Post-market monitoring (tracking, incidents)
Cybersecurity (integrity, poisoning, injection defence)
EU deadline: 194 days. Most orgs: 0/4 complete
#AIGovernance
Risk assessment (classify, document data, map bias)
Human oversight (review, intervention triggers)
Post-market monitoring (tracking, incidents)
Cybersecurity (integrity, poisoning, injection defence)
EU deadline: 194 days. Most orgs: 0/4 complete
#AIGovernance
We keep trying to automate our way to better decisions. But the best decision-makers spend more time on inputs than outputs.
Garbage in, garbage out — no matter how sophisticated the algorithm.
What's the most common input mistake you see leaders make?
Garbage in, garbage out — no matter how sophisticated the algorithm.
What's the most common input mistake you see leaders make?
January 25, 2026 at 10:01 AM
We keep trying to automate our way to better decisions. But the best decision-makers spend more time on inputs than outputs.
Garbage in, garbage out — no matter how sophisticated the algorithm.
What's the most common input mistake you see leaders make?
Garbage in, garbage out — no matter how sophisticated the algorithm.
What's the most common input mistake you see leaders make?
Writing is thinking made visible. Which is why it's uncomfortable — you're confronting the gaps in your own understanding.
The page doesn't lie. Every weak argument, every fuzzy concept exposes itself. That's the feature, not the bug.
Follow The Control Layer.
The page doesn't lie. Every weak argument, every fuzzy concept exposes itself. That's the feature, not the bug.
Follow The Control Layer.
January 24, 2026 at 7:30 PM
Writing is thinking made visible. Which is why it's uncomfortable — you're confronting the gaps in your own understanding.
The page doesn't lie. Every weak argument, every fuzzy concept exposes itself. That's the feature, not the bug.
Follow The Control Layer.
The page doesn't lie. Every weak argument, every fuzzy concept exposes itself. That's the feature, not the bug.
Follow The Control Layer.