Small businesses across the UK will be helped to boost their productivity and efficiency through AI tools set to be trialled with £7 million in UK Government funding.
Building on the Government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, announced yesterday, 120 projects will be piloted, including tech to help strawberry farmers protect their yields, tools for town planners to predict future transport needs, and even AI that can help prevent potholes before they form.
According to the Government, the goal of the initiative is to allow small businesses in industries from agriculture, transport, construction, and more to test AI technology that could improve efficiency and tackle everyday challenges that are often difficult to solve.
Among some of the projects being funded are AI forecasting tools from Oxford Cognitive Labs that could cut food waste, and protect profit margins, at a bakery in London by predicting daily sales, as well as a trial of an AI model by BuildEco and Leeds Beckett University, that can anticipate where mould is likely to grow in buildings, improving housing safety.
“Putting AI to work right across the economy can help businesses cut waste, move faster and be more productive,” said Peter Kyle, UK science and technology secretary.
“The huge range of projects receiving funding today, from farmers and bakers to those tackling potholes on our roads and mould in residential properties, demonstrates the truly limitless benefits of AI that are there for the taking.”
Funding for the projects comes from the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Technology Missions Fund, delivered by the Innovate UK BridgeAI programme, with a focus on testing potentially transformative AI technology across four high growth industry sectors, including agri-food, transport and logistics, construction, and the creative industries.
On top of the monetary support, the Government said that the BridgeAI programme will enable businesses to tap into specific training and scientific expertise, along with guidance to develop AI innovations further.
Esra Kasapoglu, Director of AI and Data Economy at Innovate UK said: “The adoption of AI in UK industry is fundamental to supporting the country’s economic growth.
“Today’s investment will enable us, through BridgeAI, to help more companies to unlock the potential of AI in their business. It will also allow further development of projects already demonstrating impact to continue their AI journey.”
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Through the AI Opportunities Action Plan, the Government hopes to fulfill its manifesto promise of transforming the lives of working people through technology, and at the same time vastly increasing the computing power available across the country.
To that end, the Government set out fifty recommendations for public policy changes, including the creation of new AI Growth Zones, and welcomed the commitment of billions in investment from major tech firms that will build the infrastructure required.
