Manchester is mad for AI

The index highlights the cities outside of London that are most likely to benefit from AI – presumably the capital as a whole is omitted as it would be some distance ahead, but it does look at how each borough is doing as well.

The list is ranked on criteria including AI-related jobs being advertised, the number of AI companies in the city, search demand for generative AI, education opportunities and the value of InnovateUK funding granted in each area. It also took into account demand for tools like ChatGPT, looking into which cities which have had the biggest growth in searches for generative AI.

Manchester came first thanks to having the highest amount of AI-related companies in the city, along with the most hackathons, and a large volume of AI-related jobs within a five-mile radius. Cambridge and Oxford fell to positions nine and 16 respectively, notes the report, while bottom of the list was Truro, followed by Newry and Peterborough. 

One example of AI initiatives in the Manchester area the report provides is Manchester United and Manchester Metropolitan University using it to analyse where football players can make improvements.

SAS also compared the AI-readiness of the London boroughs, revealing that Camden, home to University College London and University of London, topped the list. Kensington and Chelsea, which came last in 2023, rose to position 18, while Bexley came last this time.

“AI-ready cities will lead the way in being more resilient, while also meeting new urban living standards, such as meeting sustainability targets, and even making services more accessible to people living with disabilities,” said Glyn Townsend, Senior Director of Education Services at SAS for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. 

 “With 80% of UK organisations struggling to recruit applicants with suitable skills, if they do not have adequate tech talent, businesses face the challenge of how to remain competitive in an increasingly tech-driven world. And if they then cluster in regions and cities with talent, it could risk deeper regional inequalities. All cities need to be prepared to play their part - addressing digital and data literacy gaps, securing support to apply for investment, and ultimately, helping drive the future economy.”

“With the announcement from the new Prime Minister that Metro Mayors and devolved government will be tasked with creating 10-year growth plans, with an emphasis on economic growth including localised actions for skills creation, it is critical that consideration is given to what skills should be prioritised to ensure maximum return on investment and alignment to rapid anticipated future economic growth, current talent needs and future innovation.”

After being voted into power last month, the new Labour government announced that it will expand the size and scope of DSIT and indicated that it will continue with the previous administration's focus on AI, of which much was made in terms of the potential the UK has to be a player in the space. However that manifests itself in the coming years, ‘AI ready cities’ is just the sort of term likely to be deployed by future DSIT proclamations as well.