If the North is to lead the UK’s digital future, it must double down on bold, responsible innovation from generative AI and immersive tech to the foundations of robust cybersecurity.
That was the message from Innovation Unleashed: The Next Wave of Northern Tech – a standout panel at this week’s Prolific North Digital City Leaders Summit in Manchester, chaired by Steve Kuncewicz from Glaisyers.
Bringing together tech minds from across the region, the session tackled emerging trends in artificial intelligence, gaming, and cyber – and what the North really needs to do to unlock its innovation potential.
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Lewis Sellers, Group Managing Director for Web & eCommerce at IDHL, called for a mindset shift. “Innovation shouldn’t just be a function – it should be part of your culture,” he told attendees at Bruntwood SciTech.
He highlighted the maturity of Northern tech businesses, noting that many are now scaling rapidly. But to stay ahead, they’ll need to foster innovation from the inside out, not just bolt on shiny tech.
For Richard Whittle, University Fellow in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Salford, the region’s next big leap forward lies in applied AI – not the hype.
“AI offers the North a chance not just to boost productivity, but to tackle real-world regional challenges through ethical innovation,” he said.
Sellers pointed, in particular, to the growing trend of hyper-personalisation, calling it “hugely disruptive.” Shopify, he noted, is investing £2bn into research around virtual worlds – signalling a wider industry shift, which he believes the North can benefit from with innovation and focus.
Sian John, CTO at cybersecurity giant NCC Group, agreed but issued a warning: “Hyper-personalisation and generative AI can solve the world – or burn it down.”
For her, the challenge is navigating the fine line between innovation and intrusion. “Don’t be creepy,” she said. Sharing a personal anecdote about being a Pizza Hut regular in London, she joked that if staff remembered her favourite order after a few visits, it felt personal. But if they knew it on the first visit? “Creepy.”
Cybersecurity emerged as a recurring theme, with all the panellists warning that rapid tech adoption must be matched by some common sense – and a keen eye on compliance and data safety.
John argued the North is uniquely placed to lead in cybersecurity. “It’s a real growth opportunity for the UK – and the North West is really well positioned to benefit, with everything going on here,” she said.
As cloud platforms, AI tools and remote systems become the norm, cybersecurity should be seen as foundational to innovation, not an afterthought.
When asked what kind of innovation the North needs more of, the panel agreed: it’s not about chasing blue-sky ideas – it’s about focused, commercially viable R&D rooted in real need.
That means building strong infrastructure, investing in home-grown talent, and supporting innovation ecosystems with meaningful long-term backing.
“We need innovation that solves problems – that brings value,” said Sellers. But what was clear from the whole panel was that the tech eco-system in the North is strong and only getting stronger.
