Scotland and AI - The Case for Action

The why, how, who, where and when

Scotland and AI go back a long way. It’s an association that has proved successful across research and business, and one that has the potential to achieve even greater things in the years ahead. That’s an exciting proposition and through the Strategy, there is an opportunity to strengthen our AI ecosystem further.

We have our colleges and universities to thank for the thousands of talented individuals now skilled in AI. The University of Edinburgh is home to the UK’s longest-established AI research centre and its School of Informatics is one of the largest in Europe. Together with Heriot-Watt University, it is a key player in the Data-Driven Innovation Programme.

In the west of Scotland, Glasgow’s Turing Institute was an early pioneer of AI development in the 1980s. The baton has now passed to the University of Glasgow, which plays a key role in iCAIRD – the Industrial Centre for AI Research in Digital Diagnostics, a collaboration of 15 partners across Scotland including the universities of Aberdeen and St Andrews, the NHS and industry.

Scotland is also home to several hundred businesses, from start-ups and SMEs to major corporations, actively developing, adopting and applying AI to identify new drugs, diagnose disease and improve animal health. These companies have a global voice – the world listens to what we have to say about AI. Opportunities to collaborate with our international partners will only increase as our reputation grows.

Today, we have ambitions to use AI for positive effect across all society. The public sector is adopting AI to create better economic, social and environmental policy and interventions, and to provide more intelligent and targeted responses.

While Scotland can look to the future with confidence, we recognise that AI brings with it serious challenges. For AI to be truly inclusive and benefit everyone, we need to secure people’s trust in the technology and be clear on its role in our society. We need to address the real risks and concerns of bias arising from inadequate data or design or a lack of transparency of decision-making. This is an opportunity for Scotland to lead the world in ethical AI, building on work already happening. The Edinburgh Futures Institute is focused on helping society navigate complex futures, and is investigating the ethical implications of advances in AI in applications spanning agriculture, education and healthcare. It is developing frameworks for building trustworthy systems, and offers an online course on Data Ethics, AI and Responsible Innovation .

As we come to terms with the socio-economic issues brought about by COVID-19 and the adoption of AI in our lives becomes more prevalent, our Strategy is designed to make it a force for good and a catalyst for positive change.

Our Digital Strategy sets out a path for us to address together the unique challenges that AI creates, and ensure Scotland fulfils its potential in a digital world.