Fascinating piece in The Times today from Tony Blair and William Hague who have been leading the field on the central role that machine learning and AI have to play in transforming the UK economy. They are right to point out that we are in a race with other nations such as the US and China who are leaders in this field.
Like Rotherham-born William, IntelliAM, here in neighbouring Dinnington we share his passion for AI and like to think we are leading the way in harnessing its powers to drive big improvements in the UK’s largest manufacturing sector: food and drink.
While we are harnessing the first wave of machine learning, Messrs Blair and Hague are right to note that “The next wave of AI and its potential to transform businesses and public services mean that it will be impossible for a country to have a strategy for growth, public service reform, or defence without strong and sustained action to seize the opportunities of AI.
“Other countries around the world have been fast to recognise this. China is investing tens of billions of dollars in developing new chips to deliver on their AI ambitions, while South Korea is establishing a National AI Computing Centre. The Emirati firm G42 is building data centres and cloud facilities powered by sophisticated US chips. Unless urgent action is taken now, the UK will fall far behind.”
It would be an honour and a privilege to host a fellow South Yorkshireman and Wath-on-Dearne comprehensive graduate to our offices in Dinnington to show him what a massive impact machine learning and AI are having on the five of the top ten food and drink companies in the world we work with.
Photo credit: The Times