The demand for AI skills has surged, with more than a quarter of UK tech jobs in January seeking AI-savvy staff.
That’s according to research from Thomson Reuters, which discovered out of around 6,000 live job ads, more than 27% listed AI skills as a requirement.
But what does this look like in the North, and is the region equipped to train up and hire the right talent in the tech sector and beyond?
Independent recruitment consultancy Better Placed, which has offices across London, Leeds and Manchester, has noticed a shift.
Jonathan Moran, director at Better Placed Technology, said: “We definitely noticed an increase in our clients wanting to talk about AI and patterns we noticed in the market last year. At the other end of the scale, other businesses seemingly changed their entire roadmap to build out AI products!
“Whilst the onset of generative AI has huge potential, I feel some of the buzz was fuelled by lack of good VC cash in 2023. However, one area that investors were still throwing money at were tech businesses with a .AI domain.”
The North has one of the UK’s leading tech training bases with Northcoders, which has bases across Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and Birmingham.
With AI dominating the headlines for much of 2023, Northcoder’s chief operating officer Sam Caine says although it’s an important skill to have and more tools are shaping the way we work for the better, other skills still are equally as crucial for developers.
Sam Caine says: “Understanding how to AI is a useful supplementary skill for any developer. Tools like CoPilot can make them more productive, and ChatGPT is good for providing boilerplate code and documentation, and of course the wider AI ecosystem holds endless opportunities for projects previously unthinkable.
“But people wanting to enter the industry need to understand that it can’t do the job for them. In our assessment process, we’re finding more and more people using AI to run before they can walk. In the early stages of being a developer, speed should take a backseat to understanding. Eventually, a probabilistic model will probably be wrong, and good developers engage with them critically, and are able to fix their mistakes.”
Over at The Future Communicator, the communications agency specialises in AI training and development. It was launched by Peter Heneghan, the UK government’s former head of digital and former global comms chief at LADbible, and is the AI upskilling partner for the British Chamber of Commerce, who represent up to 70,000 businesses across the UK.
McVal Osborne recently joined as co-founder and chief operating officer, previously a key figure in Steven Bartlett’s successful ventures Social Chain and Flight Story.
To lead the way on AI, he says Manchester – and the North – needs to focus on training, talent and collaboration: “I’ve seen Manchester transform in recent years. The AI surge in UK tech, mirrored in Manchester’s vibrant tech scene, presents exciting opportunities. Companies like Peak AI and FuzzyLabs show Manchester’s potential as an AI hub. But talent acquisition is key.
“We need initiatives like the Greater Manchester AI Foundry to upskill and reskill our workforce. Universities like Manchester Met and UoM can create specialised AI programs, while tech bootcamps like Northcoders can offer immersive training. Public-private partnerships are crucial to equip Manchester’s next-gen with the ‘AQ’ – adaptability quotient – needed to thrive in this AI-driven future.
“The Future Communicator plays its part by bridging the gap between academia and industry, offering specialised certifications and collaborating with businesses to identify and empower AI champions. This collaborative approach is essential to building a robust AI ecosystem in the North.”
With a big mission to accelerate Greater Manchester’s AI ecosystem, the Turing Innovation Catalyst launched in 2023.
Led by The University of Manchester, the new hub will work with a consortium of businesses, academic and public sector organisations, to develop skills and support existing AI start-ups and emerging companies to further develop Greater Manchester’s £5bn digital economy.
Caroline Gorski, CEO at Capital Enterprise which is currently delivering the Turing Innovation Catalyst AI Accelerator, adds: “Increasing demand for AI skills may be concentrated in the tech sector today, but it’s a matter of time before they are needed in companies of all shapes and sizes across the North. That’s the driving force behind our partnership with Turing Innovation Catalyst Manchester, designed to support the next generation of AI start-ups.
“With the AI Accelerator, we will help companies building AI products to grow, attracting investment and jobs to Greater Manchester and ensuring the benefits of the AI revolution stay local. Even if you’re not in tech, it’s an excellent time to start learning about AI tools because they will be coming to a workplace near you – if they haven’t already!”
The North has a “fertile ground” for AI adoption and growth, adds Osborne.
“I remember fondly starting the insights team at Social Chain in Manchester – the North’s potential is undeniable.”
