The Innovate UK BridgeAI programme, a £100 million initiative launched in 2023, has successfully guided UK businesses in adopting artificial intelligence safely and responsibly across key sectors. Over three years, the programme engaged over 12,000 people and supported 5,000 organisations in the agrifood, creative, construction, and transport industries. It funded more than 820 projects and delivered over 1,700 training courses through a partnership involving Innovate UK, the Alan Turing Institute, Digital Catapult, the STFC Hartree Centre, and the British Standards Institute (BSI).
The programme's five-part podcast mini-series, hosted by Peter Schmidt, delves into the practical realities of AI adoption. It features interviews with programme designers and businesses that utilised AI, including a ceramicist using machine learning for glazes, a haulage firm employing AI for tenders, and a startup with robots monitoring football pitches.
Episode 1, 'What is BridgeAI, and did it work?', explores the rationale behind the £100 million programme. Nicolas Guernion from the Alan Turing Institute discusses the institute's role in providing scientific advice, while Richard Cooper of Innovate UK Business Connect reflects on the targeted sectors and lessons learned. Dominica D’Arcangelo, BridgeAI Programme Manager at the Turing, shares insights into the multi-organisation delivery.
In Episode 2, 'AI down on the farm and beyond', the focus is on agriculture. Professor Po Yang of the University of Sheffield explains AI's role in precision agriculture, and Erwann Lompech-Leneveu, CEO of London startup E-Nano, details how AI helps monitor sports pitches.
Episode 3, 'AI and the creative sector, beyond generative AI', highlights artists like ceramicist Layla Hashim, who used AI to predict glaze behaviour. Rebecca Duke from the STFC Hartree Centre discusses innovation vouchers, and Jimmy Jarvis of Digital Catapult describes accelerator programmes.
Transport and logistics are covered in Episode 4, 'AI on the move'. Jamie Sands of the family-run logistics firm Welch Group shares how they use AI for tender drafting and management systems. Liam McGee of Kaiasm discusses preparing data for AI in critical national infrastructure, and Nathan Parker of British Standards Institute explains the importance of AI standards like ISO 42001.
The series concludes with Episode 5, 'Building with AI: construction, data and trust'. Tom Goldsmith, CTO of Hoppa, explains AI's role in managing construction data, while Max Smith, Director of Eluxevo, discusses using AI for energy-efficient building systems. The series reflects on the importance of 'trust not technology' in AI adoption.
