A former IBM UK chief executive will lead a 15-strong group of technology, healthcare, academic and business leaders tasked with turning Liverpool City Region’s growing AI ambitions into action.
Nicola Hodson, former chief executive and chair of IBM UK & Ireland, has been appointed chair of the new Liverpool City Region AI Task Force, which will advise on how artificial intelligence can be used across the economy and public services.
The group will hold its first meeting following the city region’s AI Summit in October and will work alongside Chief AI Officer Tiffany St James, who joined the Combined Authority last year as the UK’s first regional Chief AI Officer.
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Its 15 members span AI research, healthcare, digital skills, government, business, accessibility, law, digital transformation and workforce development.
Among those named are Kate Warriner, Chief Transformation and Digital Officer at Alder Hey NHS Foundation Trust and chair of the North West Digital Skills Development Network; Katherine Royse, director of the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s Hartree Centre; and Gary McAllister, Chief Digital Officer for Healthcare and Lifesciences at Dell Technologies.
The task force has been given a broad remit to advise on the development and use of AI to support economic growth, improve public services and deliver benefits for the city region’s 1.6 million residents.
It will also work with Liverpool City Region Combined Authority teams on developing and testing potential applications of the technology.
“I am thrilled to have been appointed as Chair of the Liverpool City Region AI Task Force,” said Hodson.
“Mayor Steve Rotheram, the Chief AI Officer Tiffany, and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority have set out a clear ambition to be at the forefront of AI for Good. The AI Task Force’s job is to help translate that ambition into action.”
The appointment is the latest step in a concerted push to build Liverpool City Region’s position in AI and emerging technology.
Earlier this year, the Combined Authority signed an agreement with Hamburg’s Artificial Intelligence Centre aimed at developing a “trans-European AI supercluster”, covering AI and quantum technologies.
The region is also home to the STFC Hartree Centre at Daresbury and Kyndryl’s AI Innovation Lab at the Royal Liver Building, which opened with an initial 100-strong team and plans to create up to 1,000 AI and software engineering roles.
Prolific North recently explored how those investments, alongside a growing community of start-ups, universities and creative businesses, are contributing to Liverpool’s increasingly mature technology ecosystem.
Mayor Steve Rotheram said: “When I first spoke to Nicola about my vision for AI for Good, I knew she understood exactly what I want to achieve here in the Liverpool City Region. She’ll be leading an exceptional group of people who bring an enormous amount of expertise and, importantly, real-world experience from across technology, healthcare, academia, business and the public sector.
“We want the Liverpool City Region to be at the forefront of the AI for Good movement. AI is developing at an incredible pace and the opportunities are enormous. I want the Liverpool City Region to be out in front – whether that’s improving health outcomes, creating better, higher-skilled jobs, transforming public services or driving innovation across our economy.
“Having a Chair of Nicola’s high calibre means the Task Force will play a really important role in helping us navigate the opportunities and challenges ahead and making sure we develop and adopt AI in the most ethical, responsible and transformative way possible.”
Alongside the task force, an AI Academic Community of Practice is being established to provide research expertise and advice on the responsible adoption of AI across the city region.
St James said: “This is a huge opportunity to be at the forefront of the AI revolution, leveraging the talent of our AI Task Force and our digital strengths to bring benefits to the region and develop a smart city region. We will have the expertise, knowledge and connections within the AI Task Force to drive this forward, creating a pioneering and innovative ecosystem to test and scale emerging technologies, transform our region, and make it a leading place for business growth.”
