From medicine to education, industry and science: digital humans to introduce inspiring vision of future at international AI Summit

• Liverpool City Region’s first international AI Summit to highlight AI for Good
• High-profile speakers include AI leaders from industry and academia
• AI-powered assistants to act as concierges and master of ceremonies
• Summit to explore AI ethics and showcase city region’s world-leading AI innovation

Harnessing artificial intelligence to drive medicine, education, industry and scientific discovery will take centre stage at the Liverpool City Region’s first international AI Summit.

The landmark event will showcase the city region’s world-class Artificial Intelligence expertise, while addressing ethical issues and setting out an inspiring vision for the future of ‘AI for Good’ in the UK.

Hosted by multilingual interactive digital humans, the conference will bring together the brightest minds in AI, including global industry leaders, cutting-edge researchers, and innovative local businesses.

And this Thursday’s pioneering summit will also highlight how AI is being used to solve real-world challenges – from transforming healthcare to revolutionizing education – and how it can drive a fairer, more inclusive society.

The keynote speech will be delivered by IBM UK and Ireland CEO Dr Nicola Hodson, originally from the Liverpool City Region, who is Deputy President of techUK and was recently appointed to the Department of Science, Industry and Technology board.

Other speakers include Alois Krtil, CEO and founder of Artificial Intelligence Centre Hamburg (ARIC) and Professor Mark Thompson, co-founder of high-profile California-based Psi-Quantum, one of the world’s leading quantum computing companies with its only European base in the Liverpool City Region.

The event will include a video message from Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Peter Kyle and Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram will address the summit before signing a Memorandum of Understanding between the Combined Authority, the University of Liverpool and the UK’s Science and Technology Facilities Council.

The agreement is over the development of Meta Liverpool: a digital representation of the city region, created from sources such as high-resolution drone footage and transport models, and which allows the impact of policies to be tested before being deployed.

Mayor Rotheram said:

“The Liverpool City Region has always been a place of pioneers, and we’re leading the charge in one of the most exciting areas of modern technology – Artificial Intelligence. This summit isn’t just about showcasing the amazing talent and innovations happening right here; it’s about making sure that AI works for everyone.

“From healthcare to education, AI has the potential to transform lives, and we’re committed to using it as a force for good. But it’s vital that we steer this technology in the right direction – ensuring it’s ethical, fair, and benefits people across the UK, not just in Silicon Valley or big tech hubs.

“This summit is a chance to put the Liverpool City Region on the map as a global leader in AI for Good, while driving the national conversation on how we can use this transformative technology to build a better future for all of us.”

Delivered in partnership with techUK at Liverpool BOXPARK on November 21, the summit will explore how AI can be harnessed to enrich lives and tackle some of the most pressing issues facing society today.

Introduced by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Chief Executive Katherine Fairclough, the summit will feature sessions examining AI in education and skills, and how Artificial Intelligence is already making the world a better place through medical breakthroughs and scientific discovery.

Surgeon and clinical director of innovation at Alder Hey Children’s Health Park Iain Hennessey will provide first-hand insights along with Tom Thacker, COO of Century Tech whose AI technology is being used to tailor lessons and mark homework at Liverpool City Region schools.

The summit will also look at investment in Artificial Intelligence, address critical topics including AI ethics and trust and provide a showcase for some of the region’s most innovative AI companies.

The Liverpool City Region is already home to the UK’s most powerful supercomputer dedicated to industrial research and is at the forefront of AI innovation that serves people and communities. It recently launched a significant new pilot of AI-powered technology in local primary schools in partnership with CENTURY Tech.

From tackling childhood cancer to tracking space debris, developing new electric vehicle batteries and saving the sight of people with diabetes in remote corners of the world, city region scientists are using Artificial Intelligence as a force for good.

They used AI and Big Data to help the UK emerge from the pandemic and are keeping us safe from the next viral threat.

Global tech giants like IBM and Microsoft and local partners including the University of Liverpool and ITS, will come together at this pivotal event to discuss the future of AI and its potential to transform the way we live, work, and learn.

The summit is expected to spark collaborations and drive new ideas about how AI can support the UK’s wider ambitions to be at the cutting edge of ethical technology. With AI’s role in shaping everything from smart cities to the future of work, this forum is set to ignite conversations that will help to influence the direction of AI for years to come.

In addition to leading the charge in AI, the Liverpool City Region continues to invest in its digital future, with projects such as LCR Connect – a £30m gigabit-speed network available to more than 28,000 businesses – solidifying its reputation as a region of innovation and opportunity.

The Mayor has pledged to appoint a Chief Digital Officer to drive the city region’s AI transformation, which will include data and smart city initiatives. The Chief Digital Officer will chair an AI Task Force with a mission to turbocharge AI for Good by delivering the right infrastructure and a fertile ecosystem to nurture talent and foster collaboration.

The list of speakers also includes Professors Andy Cooper, Katie Atkinson and Iain Buchan from the University of Liverpool, Connected Places Catapult CEO Erika Lewis and senior representatives from Microsoft, Innovate UK, techUK and some of the city region’s most innovative AI companies.

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Chief Executive Katherine Fairclough said:

“Artificial Intelligence is transforming our world and it is crucial this should happen in ways that benefit everyone – through medicine, education, by aiding scientific discovery and much more.

“With our long history of world-leading innovation, it’s only right the Liverpool City Region is once again leading the way in the application of AI as a force for good.

“We’re delighted to welcome global AI experts and businesses to our first international AI Summit to share knowledge and ideas and ignite conversations on the future of Artificial Intelligence. This Summit will reinforce our global leadership, while offering a vision of a future in which AI can improve all our lives and society as a whole.”

Matt Robinson, Head of Nations and Regions at techUK, said:

“We are thrilled to support the Liverpool City Region’s International AI Summit, an event that promises to highlight the UK’s leadership in ethical and impactful AI innovation.

“As the technology trade association for the UK, techUK is committed to driving collaboration between global innovators, policymakers, and local talent to unlock AI’s full potential. We look forward to working closely with the Liverpool City Region and partners across the country to ensure that AI continues to be a force for good, supporting the UK’s ambitions as a world-leading tech hub.”