As part of its post-Brexit digital strategy, the government unveils plans to offer digital skills training to millions of individuals and businesses, and announcing funding of £17.3m million for artificial intelligence and robotics research.
Martin Walder, VP Industry UK & Ireland, Schneider Electric comments:
“The investment of £17.3m in artificial intelligence and robotics research is good news for UK PLC. However, it must not stop there. The UK is a recognised leader in in the field of scientific research field, now, the focus must be on commercialising that insight to help businesses across the spectrum compete on the global stage and drive our economy forward.
“The opportunity to be front-runners in the use of AI and robotics is an exciting one, however we’d like to see the focus of the research expanded to include the industry and manufacturing sectors. The UK’s industrial sector is well behind other major economies in its adoption of robotics and autonomous systems the uptake of which is vital for the long-term survival of UK manufacturing. Injecting innovation into this space and accelerating the use of technologies such as robotics and AI to take advantage of smart manufacturing and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) will combat stagnation and fuel the progress of UK industry.
“It’s important to remember that the Investment in science, research and innovation is only the first step to cultivating world-leading sectors. To reap the full benefits of these innovations there must be a sustained effort to develop the skills required to compete in a modern economy. This means encouraging the STEM subjects, offering more support for apprenticeships schemes and education for SMEs on the potential use of robotics and AI in their operations.
“It’s never been more important for the UK to deliver the best products at competitive prices. Investments in research and skills will set us on that path. Research and innovation in these areas will have a direct impact on how new technology is rolled out, bringing with it the potential for significant gains in productivity and profitability, and better economic performance overall.”