A £187 million AI & cyber plan for the West Midlands has been unveiled at Birmingham Tech Week.
The announcement came as part of the leadership opening event for the seventh annual Birmingham Tech Week, which brings together 8,000 industry experts and regional figureheads over five event-packed days in venues across the city.
Among the most significant announcements were the regional rollout of TechFirst, a £187m programme that will bring AI and digital skills into classrooms, careers, and communities; and the launch of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) AI Missions Document, a ten-year vision to help regional SMEs harness the potential of AI for growth innovation and public service adoption.
Delegates were also given an update on the West Midlands Cyber Hub, a new space that will help shape the future of cyber in the region for organisations, professionals, and the wider community.
The theme for this year’s event is ‘A Quantum Leap’, which aims to help cement the West Midlands as a global hub for innovation, talent and transformative technology including AI, cybersecurity and quantum computing.
“Birmingham Tech Week gives the opportunity to showcase how the West Midlands is redefining the future of tech and also shines a spotlight on our engineering excellence and future-facing innovation,” said Andy Hague, CEO of TechWM and Birmingham Tech Week.
“As a region with a tech sector that is heralded as the fastest growing in the UK, our regional leaders and experts play a pivotal part in providing a platform for businesses to innovate, collaborate and grow to unimaginable heights.
“Today’s leadership event saw announcements that reflect that mission and I’m excited to see how the rest of Birmingham Tech Week unfolds as we create a one-of-a-kind space for our SMEs, tech leaders and regional figureheads to collaborate and innovate.”
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the WMCA, said: “The benefits of technology need to reach out across communities and support our whole economy through the collaboration with government.
“This desire to support residents and drive public sector innovation is represented within the AI Missions Document, which will be formally unveiled during Birmingham Tech Week, and will aim to shape the AI agenda for the region.”
Leon Butler, chief executive UK and Ireland at IBM, said: “The West Midlands is a region that’s long embodied innovation and resilience and this is signified by the fact that Birmingham is ahead of the curve when it comes to AI adoption.
“AI is going to reshape how businesses in the West Mildlands and across the globe approach the adoption of technology, foster growth and take advantage of immense opportunities.”
With an agenda featuring over 35 events and 150 speakers, the week will offer a mix of panels, summits, and symposiums, all aimed at accelerating the West Midlands’ rise as a major tech player on the global stage.