Industry opportunities open door for Cumbria to be UK hub for applied AI

CUMBRIA can become a national centre of excellence for applied AI where the latest technologies are tested and implemented. 

The county’s advanced manufacturing, defence and nuclear decommissioning expertise, and experience of operating in complex industry environments, make it ideally placed as AI moves beyond research and further into application. 

This is the message from a new white paper by Britain's Energy Coast Business Cluster (BECBC) on how Cumbria can maximise AI's productivity gains while minimising risk. 

The paper AI in Cumbria: Building a National Centre of Excellence for Applied AI was launched at a summit in Penrith. 

BECBC’s Chief Executive Dianne Richardson says: “We are taking a place-based approach to AI that plays to Cumbria’s strengths. Our strengths are getting things done. We shouldn’t be trying to be a research centre because that’s not our character. What we should be doing is saying we know how to take this tool and apply it.” 

The white paper says the next phase of AI adoption is unlikely to be defined solely by who develops the technology. It will increasingly be shaped by who can apply it effectively, which creates opportunities for UK regions with industrial capability and strong sector specialisms.

The ability to safely deploy technologies tallies with Cumbria’s expertise in sectors including nuclear, defence, advanced manufacturing and engineering. 

Dianne says: “The foundations are already in place. Across Cumbria, businesses and education providers are already using AI, while industrial sectors are beginning to consider more advanced applications.” 

Speakers at the white paper’s launch included Daniel Braund, Senior AI Lead at Sellafield Ltd. Daniel says: “We should be able to make decisions better, faster and safer with AI. But we need to do that carefully, making sure the training is correct and that we fully understand the limitations of AI tools. It’s not a case of rushing to adopt things but doing it thoughtfully and safely. 

“Cumbria is an ideal place to be a centre of excellence for applied AI. We’ve got a history of doing difficult, dangerous work. If Sellafield can use embodied AI – robots – to help us take people out of harm’s way, then that’s useful to us.” 

Dianne Richardson says Cumbria needs to coordinate its various strands of AI use across sectors, as well as providing training, and targeted support for SMEs. By positioning itself nationally as a testbed for applied AI, the aim is to attract partnerships, pilots, investment, and businesses that want to apply AI in real environments.

“This white paper is our framework for how Cumbria can use AI,” says Dianne. “BECBC is engaging with the three candidates to become Cumbria’s first Mayor next year. This plan needs a strong voice to promote it.” 

She acknowledges that AI is both an opportunity and a threat for businesses and individuals. “We are aiming to use AI to up our productivity and augment our people, while still developing their skills. AI is only worthwhile if it makes our lives better.”

Other speakers at the event, held at the North Lakes Hotel, Penrith, included Luciana Rousseau, Group Head of Client Innovation at engineering consultancy Morson Praxis; and Lee Grears, CEO at Workington-based Test Inspect Group. 

The full white paper is available to read here: BECBC-AI-White-Paper-Final-small.pdf