Latest news with #TechFirst
Business News Wales
2 days ago
- Business
- Business News Wales
AI Offers Wales a Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity to Punch Above its Weight in Tech
The numbers are still chastening. Just 47,727 people work in digital roles across Wales – a mere three per cent of our total workforce. We lag behind the rest of the UK on everything from broadband take-up to basic online skills. Yet this very deficit could be our super-power. Like sub-Saharan Africa, which skipped copper landlines and jumped straight to mobile phones, Wales can leapfrog the legacy stage and throw itself wholly at the new frontier: Artificial Intelligence. But, as in Africa and other such examples of technological leapfrogging, there needs to be institutional flexibility and support for the next stage. Westminster can apparently see this opportunity. The Prime Minister's new TechFirst programme, £187 million for schools plus a pledge to upskill 7.5 million workers by 2030, explicitly names AI literacy as Britain's next competitive edge. For a nation the size of Wales, that investment is an invitation to sprint while bigger regions are still lacing their trainers. The tools are on our side. Low-code platforms such as Lovable, Bolt and Replit let founders spin up a web app frontend, a payments layer, and integrate an AI chatbot in a handful of hours. OpenAI's Sam Altman predicts 'one person plus 10,000 GPUs' companies worth billions, insisting that tiny teams can now out-earn yesterday's unicorns. In other words, scale has slipped from headcount to horsepower. And horsepower is cheap. But there is a sting in that tail. When it costs pennies to build, the world will inevitably flood with pointless apps and sites. Validation – the discipline of proving a customer will pay before you write a single line of code, matters more than ever. I spent last year teaching over 300 Welsh founders to run customer discovery processes and tests that expose a bad idea within days, not months. The goal is ruthless: kill 99 ideas that were never going to survive so the hundredth can live. And flourish. Our problem is cultural, not technical. Wales boasts a very generous support ecosystem – grants, hubs, incubators – yet that generosity too often breeds complacency. Because the support is kind, and ever-present, founders are able to cling to pet projects for years, drawing a pittance while their sunk-cost fallacy deepens. A sharper challenge early on would free them to pivot faster, earn sooner and contribute more to the economy. I have seen it first-hand in London: the start-up that shelved three doomed prototypes inside a single accelerator cohort now turns over six figures after eight months. Here in Wales: 'don't worry, here's another marketing workshop and a free desk'. All the while, no real challenge is forthcoming. Happily, AI makes that path to real customer understanding much easier. A simple prototype created in a few hours, connected to a dummy data set can be demoed to a potential buyer the same afternoon. Indeed, after four months of fruitless conversations with clients about what they could theoretically do ('sounds interesting, come back when you have something to show us'), someone who built a prototype in one of my workshops was able to sell a trial with a customer the very next day. And there is a deeper purpose. Better-paid digital work on home soil means fewer 18-year-olds forced to take the M4 east. Careers Wales already tracks soaring demand for AI-literate roles across energy, creative industries and healthcare. If we couple that demand with validation-obsessed, capital-efficient companies, we can keep the talent, and the tax base, right here. So here is the challenge. To Cardiff Bay and Westminster: funnel a slice of TechFirst cash into rapid-validation-with-AI boot camps, not just coding classes. To incubators and grant panels: reward proof of demand, not prettiness of deck. To every would-be founder in Wales: your next prototype costs less than a night out – but the only applause that counts is a paying customer. Get those pieces right and that bleak three-per-cent statistic becomes an irrelevance. What will matter is the multiplier: how many global customers each Welsh job serves because a small, fearless team learned faster and built only what was worth building. In the age of AI, that multiplier can be limitless, but only if we demand proof of value from day one. Punching above our weight starts with landing the punches that count. Neil is currently running workshops about how to build prototypes, MVPs, and internal tools with AI –
Entrepreneur
3 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Why a new tech skills drive is sorely needed for the UK's tech startup ecosystem
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur United Kingdom, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. It promises that 'pupils across the country will be given the skills and tools needed to get the AI-powered jobs of the future'. This is a much-needed initiative that will benefit individuals, businesses and the UK economy. Digital skills gap The 'digital skills gap' is costing the UK around £63bn annually. This is the mismatch between the digital capabilities employers need and the skills available in the workforce. With growing demand for tech talent, especially in areas like AI, data science, and cybersecurity, the supply of qualified candidates has not kept pace. 75% of tech firms are struggling to recruit, and of course it's not just tech companies that need tech skills! Tech talent and growth The digital skills gap isn't just a recruitment issue - it's a growth inhibitor. When one in three UK tech founders cite talent shortages as their biggest challenge, it reveals a systemic drag on innovation, product development, and market expansion. While the AI sector races ahead, startups without access to skilled talent risk being left behind, especially those based outside London. Closing the skills gap means more than filling vacancies; it's about unlocking capacity, speeding up time to market, and enabling the next wave of high growth-potential companies to scale with confidence. Access to tech skills The TechFirst programme should be of particular interest to startups. Startups often can't compete with big tech salaries. So, a steady stream of skilled young talent will reduce recruitment and training costs and will help startups grow sustainably. Young people are looking for purpose-driven roles, where they can quickly see the impact of the work they do. Many startups provide this environment, often with the opportunity to contribute to different areas and develop a broad skill set. The reality of tech roles Most people who work in tech do not write code. This fact seems to be a tightly kept secret to everyone outside the tech sector. Initiatives aimed at getting more people to consider a career in tech are often focused on coding – such as coding clubs and boot camps. There is very little emphasis on the wide range of roles that require curiosity, collaboration and creativity, and absolutely zero coding ability. Hopefully the TechFirst programme will consider the full range of tech roles, and the skills needed to be successful in them. Startups need team players, people who are flexible and adaptable and can learn new skills as their role and the organisation evolves. Routes into tech Only about 10% of the UK workforce has a computer science or IT related degree (Data from BCS and Coding Black Females). This typically comes as a surprise to students, teachers and careers advisors who believe this is the main route into tech. Tech professionals have a variety of educational backgrounds, including STEM, humanities and arts degrees, and many have followed non-university paths into tech, including apprenticeships and entry level roles. Digital apprenticeships Start-ups often struggle to make the 12- or 18-month commitment required to take on a digital apprentice. This is a missed opportunity, for the startup and the apprentice. Apprenticeships are a budget-friendly way to scale. Government funding and incentives help cover training costs, and selecting the right person and the right apprenticeship programme can benefit the whole organisation. The tech sector gets less diverse as we look at more senior positions in the hierarchies. By creating opportunities for early-career professionals, such as apprenticeships and other types of entry role, it is much easier to start to turn the dial on diversity. A diverse workforce can be a strategic asset for startups. Diverse teams are far more likely to make better decisions, and Innovate UK found that 73% of startups believe that diversity improves innovation. According to Shaw Trust, companies with above-average diversity generate 45% of their revenue from innovation, compared to just 26% for those with below-average diversity. That's a huge edge for startups trying to disrupt markets. What will 'AI skills' look like in 5 years? Given the rapid evolution and advancement of generative and agentic AI, it is very difficult to predict exactly what skills humans will need to work with and develop AI tools. One thing is clear: that a growth mindset and a commitment to life-long learning is what keeps tech professionals in jobs. Fostering this approach in the next generation of tech professionals is absolutely vital, because while tools and 'tech skills' may change, the ability to learn, adapt and grow will always be the most future-proofed skill we can pass on.
Economic Times
12-06-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
UK to boost 'homegrown talent' in new AI skills drive
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday pledged to boost "homegrown talent for the AI age" by teaming up with tech giants to train 7.5 million workers in artificial intelligence skills. Speaking at the start of London's Tech Week, with a line-up of speakers including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Starmer said: "In this global race, we can be an AI maker and not an AI taker." Starmer was due to have a one-on-one conversation with the chief of the star Silicon Valley semiconductor firm whose chips are critical for artificial intelligence applications and of the event bringing together industry giants, Starmer announced a government-industry partnership to train 7.5 million workers in AI skills, including in using chatbots and large language models to boost firms including Nvidia, Google, Microsoft and Amazon committed to make training materials freely available to businesses over the next five years. Google EMEA region President Debbie Weinstein called it a "crucial initiative" essential for developing AI skills, unlocking AI-powered growth "and cementing the UK's position as an AI leader". In his opening speech, Starmer said Britain must build "the digital infrastructure that we need to make sure AI improves our public services".The UK has a "responsibility" to "harness this unprecedented opportunity and to use it to improve the lives of working people", Starmer added."We are going to build more homes, more labs, more data centres, and we're going to do it much, much more quickly." Economic growth His government has pledged to fire up the UK's flagging economy, including with "pro-growth" AI regulations to attract tech investment and turn Britain into an "AI superpower"."We are putting the power of AI into the hands of the next generation -- so they can shape the future, not be shaped by it," Starmer said in a press release before the British leader unveiled £187 million ($253 million) in funding to help develop tech abilities including training for one million secondary school students, as part of its "TechFirst" called it a "step change in how we train homegrown talent for the AI age".The investment will "embed AI right through our education system", he said, announcing nearly £150 million in undergraduate and PhD research scholarships in AI and also announced a "commitment from Nvidia to partner on a new AI talent pipeline", including through expanding a Nvidia lab in Bristol, southwest UK's AI sector is valued at £72 billion, employing over 64,000 people, and is projected to exceed £800 billion by 2035. It was growing 30 times faster than the rest of the economy, according to government figures from 2023 -- an "incredible" rate, according to speakers at the tech conference include the CEO of Mistral AI, Arthur Mensch, the UK's Science Secretary Peter Kyle and Markus Villig, founder of ride-hailing app Bolt.
The Irish Sun
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Top secret residents prepare to move into £8billion robot ‘city of the future' with driverless cars & AI-powered homes
RESIDENTS are preparing to move into Toyota's futuristic robot city, where everything is connected with driverless cars and AI-powered homes. While just the seed of an idea a decade ago, the Advertisement 6 Toyota, which builds robots as well as cars, has been building up the 175-acre site for he past five years Credit: Toyota UK 6 It is set to welcome its first 100 residents this autumn Credit: Toyota UK 6 The self-contained metropolis aims to be a beacon for future mobility, smart infrastructure and sustainable living Credit: Toyota UK And it is set to welcome its first 100 residents this autumn. Residents will have a few months of tranquility before the city opens to tourists - dubbed 'Weavers' - from 2026 "or later", according to Toyota. These individuals will mostly be Toyota staff and their families, before branching out to include "external inventors" and their loved ones. The total population is expected to reach around 2,000. Advertisement READ MORE ON FUTURE TECH At the base of the Mount Fuji volcano in Japan, the development will host a range of top-secret tests for new technologies, according to reports. While normal civilians will also call this robot city home, so shall Toyota's employees - who will be conducting experiments for some of the company's more hushed ideas. Toyota, which builds robots as well as cars, has been building up the 175-acre site for the past five years. The self-contained metropolis aims to be a beacon for future mobility, smart infrastructure and sustainable living. Advertisement Most read in Tech First announced at CES 2020, the Woven City is now just months away from accepting its first residents. The futuristic city will act as a "living laboratory" for the company to test its renewable and energy-efficient self-driving cars dubbed 'E-palettes'. Toyota's E-palettes, an autonomous electric vehicle platform initially developed for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, will be at the core of the project. Self-driving cars will be the main form of transport inside the Woven City, according to Toyota, supported by an underground network for autonomous logistics and goods delivery vehicles. Advertisement The autonomous vehicles feed into a wider network led by artificial intelligence (AI). AI robot nurse with creepy 'face' taking over hospital jobs as it patrols halls, delivers meds and tracks patient vitals "We are building a city where everything, people, buildings, vehicles, is connected through sensors and AI," Akio Toyoda, Chairman of Toyota's Board of Directors, has said previously. "It's a unique opportunity to create a living digital operating system for urban life." Streets will be split into three types, pedestrian-only areas, roads for fast-moving traffic and streets for a mix of lower-speed vehicles. Advertisement Only zero-emissions motors will be allowed with special vehicles for the elderly and support for wheelchair users. Smart homes will be designed to incorporate robotics and AI to monitor health and manage energy use. It echoes The stunning new "smart homes" will run almost entirely on hydrogen, making the city as eco-friendly as possible. Advertisement Houses, made mostly from wood, will include in-home robotics to "assist with daily living" helping residents to be more independent, according to the company. 6 The autonomous vehicles feed into a wider network led by artificial intelligence (AI) Credit: Woven by Toyota 6 Smart homes will be designed to incorporate robotics and AI to monitor health and manage energy use Credit: Toyota UK 6 Houses, made mostly from wood, will include in-home robotics to "assist with daily living" helping residents to be more independent, according to the company Credit: Toyota UK Advertisement
Observer
09-06-2025
- Business
- Observer
UK to boost 'homegrown talent' in new AI skills drive
LONDON: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday pledged to boost "homegrown talent for the AI age" by teaming up with tech giants to train 7.5 million workers in artificial intelligence skills. Speaking at the start of London's Tech Week, with a line-up of speakers including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Starmer said: "In this global race, we can be an AI maker and not an AI taker." Starmer was due to have a one-on-one conversation with the chief of the star Silicon Valley semiconductor firm whose chips are critical for artificial intelligence applications and research. Ahead of the event bringing together industry giants, Starmer announced a government-industry partnership to train 7.5 million workers in AI skills, including in using chatbots and large language models to boost productivity. Tech firms including Nvidia, Google, Microsoft and Amazon committed to make training materials freely available to businesses over the next five years. Google EMEA region President Debbie Weinstein called it a "crucial initiative" essential for developing AI skills, unlocking AI-powered growth "and cementing the UK's position as an AI leader". In his opening speech, Starmer said Britain must build "the digital infrastructure that we need to make sure AI improves our public services". The UK has a "responsibility" to "harness this unprecedented opportunity and to use it to improve the lives of working people", Starmer added. "We are going to build more homes, more labs, more data centres, and we're going to do it much, much more quickly." His government has pledged to fire up the UK's flagging economy, including with "pro-growth" AI regulations to attract tech investment and turn Britain into an "AI superpower". "We are putting the power of AI into the hands of the next generation -- so they can shape the future, not be shaped by it," Starmer said in a press release before the event. The British leader unveiled £187 million ($253 million) in funding to help develop tech abilities including training for one million secondary school students, as part of its "TechFirst" programme. He called it a "step change in how we train homegrown talent for the AI age". The investment will "embed AI right through our education system", he said, announcing nearly £150 million in undergraduate and PhD research scholarships in AI and tech. Starmer also announced a "commitment from Nvidia to partner on a new AI talent pipeline", including through expanding a Nvidia lab in Bristol, southwest England. The UK's AI sector is valued at £72 billion, employing over 64,000 people, and is projected to exceed £800 billion by 2035. It was growing 30 times faster than the rest of the economy, according to government figures from 2023 — an "incredible" rate, according to Starmer. Other speakers at the tech conference include the CEO of Mistral AI, Arthur Mensch, the UK's Science Secretary Peter Kyle and Markus Villig, founder of ride-hailing app Bolt. — AFP
