Government puts AI to work for retail, bakers, town planning and more

The government is going all-out with its plans for the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) in the UK – and it might be used in areas you might not have expected.

120 projects across the country will test how AI could turbocharge businesses of all kinds, from agriculture, to retail - even when it comes to tackling potholes.

The projects will receive a share of £7m to trial AI tools across the economy, and unleash this technology’s “era-defining potential to deliver growth nationwide,” the government says. The funding builds on the new AI Opportunities Action Plan, the government’s blueprint to make AI work for Britain and drive the Plan for Change, helping turbocharge growth and boost living standards

Small businesses across the country will be helped to boost their productivity and efficiency through AI tools set to be trialled - from tech that predicts potholes before they form, to AI models that help farmers make their dairy cows produce greater yields.

The support announced is focused on how AI could help smaller companies tackle pressing challenges to their businesses, and how researchers can use this tech to take on everyday problems we all live with. Other projects include using AI to cut food waste – and thereby protect profit margins – at a bakery by accurately predicting sales and forecasting how much of each product needs to be made daily.

Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: “Putting AI to work right across the economy can help businesses cut waste, move faster and be more productive. 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.”

As the projects today’s funding will support show – from tech to help strawberry farmers protect their yields, to tools to help town planners predict their area’s future transport needs – AI could make a positive impact in every field of work in the UK, and will be “critical to kickstarting the growth the country needs.”