Powering UK AI Innovation
To seize the AI opportunity and scale it efficiently, organisations need to embed AI technologies into their strategies and decision-making processes. By building strong data foundations and tapping into strategic partnerships, they can unlock AI's full potential for innovation and operational excellence
Liverpool is globally recognised as the birthplace of the Beatles, the band that reinvented popular music in the 1960s and 1970s. The Fab Four, as they were known, stood at the vanguard of the “British Invasion” – the outsized global influence on music by dozens of UK artists. While Liverpool has a history of innovation across industries, it could soon own another claim to fame: AI innovation.
Small, but mighty
At just under 500,000 residents, Liverpool is about half the size of tech heavyweight San Jose, Calif., in the U.S., and 1/18th the size of London. But Liverpool is poised to contribute to the development and deployment of AI far beyond what its size might suggest. The city’s special ingredient is the people who will reinforce the UK’s status as the world’s third-largest AI sector, and help the country create and expand into new markets.
Private-sector investment and public-private cooperation will fuel Liverpool’s innovation engine. For example, the new Kyndryl AI Innovation Lab Liverpool will create up to 1,000 software engineering and AI-related roles over the next three years. The Lab will be just one of many collaborations among industry and research institutions to accelerate innovation and knowledge sharing that will begin in Liverpool and help shape the global AI landscape.
Just as important as the economic impact will be the social impact of the new Lab. As home to three universities, Liverpool is a super-attractor of some of the nation’s top technical talent. New opportunities for graduates to capitalise on their training in an atmosphere of innovation will add stickiness to the attraction. Talented newcomers will stay, while equally talented city natives will be able to pursue their interests and ambitions as lifelong community members.
What leadership looks like
Leadership begins with people, values and goals, and the UK’s AI Opportunities Action Plan outlines a human-centered approach to the development of new technologies. The purpose of AI and related technologies is to serve people better — to improve lives by enhancing the quality and reach of public services, to uncover efficiencies that enable better environmental stewardship, and to free workers from the drudgery of routine tasks so they can do what humans do best: imagine and create.
Leading in AI will be crucial to the UK’s economic growth but some challenges remain that could hinder innovation and productivity gains. According to Kyndryl’s AI Readiness Report — a survey of 3,200 business decision makers combined with exclusive data from the Kyndryl Bridge AI-enabled operations platform — only 29% of leaders feel prepared for AI-related challenges, and only 42% are seeing positive ROI from AI. The AI Innovation Lab will be a critical component of developing the talent to help close these gaps, and partnerships with private industry and public sector are underway.
Enabling innovation
Like the rest of the world, the UK is at an inflection point for advanced technologies. Several matters are at stake as industries and governments seek to streamline and improve operations, protect the environment and control costs with the power of AI. Barriers to AI adoption include a shortage of the skilled labor that customers need to realise the promise of their AI investments.
To seize the AI opportunity and scale it efficiently, organisations need to embed AI technologies into their strategies and decision-making processes. By building strong data foundations and tapping into strategic partnerships, they can unlock AI's full potential for innovation and operational excellence.
The new Kyndryl AI Innovation Lab Liverpool will help address AI challenges across multiple fronts. The Lab will provide essential services to public- and private-sector customers, help support Liverpool as a destination for study and work and help cement the UK’s place as a technology hotspot. You say you want a revolution? Well, the AI revolution is here, and it's transforming our world just like the Beatles transformed music.
techUK - Seizing the AI Opportunity
techUK supports the UK's AI revolution, empowering both public and private sectors to fully embrace the transformative potential of AI.
We bring together the vendor and buyer communities, showcasing the benefits of private sector AI adoption and the opportunities of AI-powered public services. Our aim is to unleash the vast potential of AI to create opportunities for businesses and society, so everyone can reap the benefits of this technological opportunity..
Get involved: techUK runs a busy calendar of activities including events, reports, and insights to demonstrate some of the most significant AI opportunities for the UK. Our AI Hub is where you will find details of all upcoming activity. We also send a monthly AI newsletter which you can subscribe to here.
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Usman Ikhlaq
Usman Ikhlaq
Usman joined techUK in January 2024 as Programme Manager for Artificial Intelligence.
He leads techUK’s AI Adoption programme, supporting members of all sizes and sectors in adopting AI at scale. His work involves identifying barriers to adoption, exploring solutions, and helping to unlock AI’s transformative potential, particularly its benefits for people, the economy, society, and the planet. He is also committed to advancing the UK’s AI sector and ensuring the UK remains a global leader in AI by working closely with techUK members, the UK Government, regulators, and devolved and local authorities.
Since joining techUK, Usman has delivered a regular drumbeat of activity to engage members and advance techUK's AI programme. This has included two campaign weeks, the creation of the AI Adoption Hub (now the AI Hub), the AI Leader's Event Series, the Putting AI into Action webinar series and the Industrial AI sprint campaign.
Before joining techUK, Usman worked as a policy, regulatory and government/public affairs professional in the advertising sector. He has also worked in sales, marketing, and FinTech.
Usman holds an MSc from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), a GDL and LLB from BPP Law School, and a BA from Queen Mary University of London.
When he isn’t working, Usman enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He also has a keen interest in running, reading and travelling.
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John Chambers
John has a wealth of experience working with senior leaders to design, build, manage, and modernize mission-critical technology solutions. He joined Kyndryl in March 2022 as a senior partner in the Customer Advisory Practice.