Council funds Artificial Intelligence programme to bring together the 'best and brightest' minds in Milton Keynes

As part of its COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan, the council is funding a six-month AI Development Programme, connecting business leaders, academics, and individuals in MK to develop AI skills and strengthen networks within the sector.

MKAI, a local AI network is leading the sessions, which include six interactive conferences delivered by professionals that are solving real-world problems and already capitalising on business opportunities presented by AI.

The programme also includes ‘machine learning’ coding challenges to equip participants with skills to build basic AI models.

Leader of MK Council, Cllr Pete Marland said: “We’re proud to be funding this programme, which will bring together the best and brightest minds in MK. The sessions will provide invaluable insight for those interested in the sector and put our city in good stead as we continue our work to establish MK as a real smart city of the future.”

Founder of MKAI, Richard Foster-Fletcher said: "The appetite for digital skills, particularly in data science is growing significantly in Milton Keynes. With MK:U launching this decade and the vision for Milton Keynes to be a leading Smart City and a magnet for ambitious tech companies, there is no better place to be building an Artificial Intelligence (AI) community.

"MKAI is proud to be at the digital heart of this exciting New City and it's an honour to be working with the Council to grow the reach and impact of our mission to educate, connect and inspire professionals in Milton Keynes to develop their AI network, skills and knowledge. We are aligned with Milton Keynes ambitions and greatly appreciate the support of the Council to accelerate our work."

The first of the sessions took place today, with other events planned in the coming months. Businesses or individuals interested in being involved should email [email protected].

MK has over 1,000 people with direct sector skills and is home to over 6,000 software engineers and 4,000 data engineers. The city has the world’s largest fleet of autonomous delivery robots and will be home to a new undergraduate university, which will be a global leader in training people to take on jobs in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) economy.

The council’s £2.25m Economic Recovery Plan will fund further projects, including the creation of a ‘Wonder Lab’ for tech entrepreneurs. MKC is also funding an MKAI review highlighting Milton Keynes as a prime location for jobs and investment in the digital, AI and robotics sectors.