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Bristol’s burgeoning AI sector
A spectre is haunting humanity — the spectre of Artificial Intelligence (AI). From space exploration to accounting, AI has permeated almost all areas of human existence. Will AI replace the workforce? The World Economic Forum disagrees.
In their Future of Jobs report, published last year, they predict that while some parts of the economy will be impacted by the rise of AI there will also be 97 million new jobs created worldwide.
In Bristol, many new jobs have emerged as our tech scene continues to boom. Several start-ups and incubators continue to pop up across the city and a recent report claims we are one of the most important cities for AI business and research in the UK. The AI Business Rankings report, published in June by company finance website Business Financed, says Bristol rank second, after Cambridge.
200 years before our current tech revolution, Bristol was a key city in Britain’s industrial revolution. Isambard Kingdom Brunel, one of the most famous engineers of the Victorian era, helped put us on the map with the Great Western Railway.
The AI Business Rankings report, published by Business Financed has indicated that Bristol rank second, after Cambridge – photo: Business Financed
Last year, the University of Bristol announced a £225 million government-backed plan to launch an AI supercomputer in his memory – the Isambard-AI – and earlier this year the project went live.
Professor Simon McIntosh-Smith, director of the Isambard National Research Facility at the University of Bristol, said: “Isambard-AI represents a huge leap forward for AI computational power in the UK. Today Isambard-AI would rank within the top 10 fastest supercomputers in the world and, when in operation later in 2024, it will be one of the most powerful AI systems for open science anywhere.”
However, while the work the University is doing is important, Bristol24/7 would be remiss if we did not find out what Bristol’s many start-ups and incubators were doing to pioneer use of AI. Incubators like SETsquared, based at the Engine Shed in Redcliffe.
“I was born in Bristol and Data Cubed was born in Bristol,” said Helen Tanner, the founder of the AI data consultancy firm Data Cubed
Launched in 2002, SETsquared is the product of six universities – Bristol, Bath, Cardiff, Exeter, Southampton and Surrey – and works hard to support tech start-ups that want to capitalise on AI technologies. Helen Tanner, founder and chief executive of Data Cubed, a Bristol-based AI data consultancy, is a previous mentee.
Speaking to Bristol24/7, Tanner said: “I was born in Bristol and Data Cubed was born in Bristol. We’ve had huge support from the tech and business community including Natwest Accelerator, SETsquared, ICE South West and AI West.
“There’s a super lovely camaraderie here. It’s a fantastic plan to live and run a business. I’m very lucky.”
Tanner said her journey as the founder of Data Cubed has been “brutal” and “like running back-to-back ultra marathons in slow motion with loads of obstacles thrown at you”.
She added: “I’ve made every conceivable mistake and a whole load of inconceivable ones too. However, we’ve grown every year financially and developmentally. We have happy super talented people. We’ve delivered over 200 projects for some 80 clients in 3 global locations. We have huge plans for the future. So, it’s all been worthwhile.”
Joyann Boyce, founder of Inclued AI, is another Setsquared mentee.
Inclued AI analyses communication, identifying outdated terms and potentially high-risk language before suggesting inclusive edits.
Joyann Boyce is the founder of Inclued AI that analyses communication, identifying outdated terms and potentially high-risk language before suggesting inclusive edits – photo: Inclued AI
Boyce said: “Bristol is a hub of creativity and innovation, and being part of its AI scene is exciting. The way individuals and companies here are using AI to create is fascinating. Watching the Bristol AI community grow and thrive has been a privilege, and I’m eager to see what the future holds.”
While she initially founded an AI company “out of curiosity” she now has a master’s in data science from UWE Bristol under her belt.
She explained: “It’s been an unexpected path, but a rewarding one. With the rise of generative AI, I’m thrilled about a future where people from all backgrounds can leverage these tools to unlock their potential and bring their creative visions to life. This journey has been a blend of learning and adapting.”
One of the giants in Bristol’s AI sector is Graphcore. Founded in 2016, the AI chip firm was valued at over $2bn in 2020. It was sold to Japanese investment holding company Softbank for around $500m earlier this year.
Nigel Toone is the CEO of the AI chip firm Graphcore which was valued at over $2bn in 2020 – photo: Graphcore
Speaking to Bristol24/7, Graphcore chief executive Nigel Toon enthused about the trajectory of Bristol’s AI scene. He said: “There is genuinely world-leading innovation in artificial intelligence coming out of Bristol.
“We’ve got companies developing AI-powered solutions in genomics, robotics, environmental science, and everything in between. The more success those businesses enjoy, the richer the talent base we are able to build here in Bristol, creating a virtuous cycle.”
On Graphcore’s recent takeover by Softbank, Toon added: “Graphcore set out to do something hugely ambitious, taking on massive tech companies to develop new types of computer systems specifically designed for running AI.
“The hardware and software that we developed received industry-wide recognition which led to us joining the SoftBank Group, one of the world’s leading AI investors, where we continue to develop the next generation of AI computers.”
AI is also developing the way our city collects rubbish. One Big Circle, based near Temple Meads, uses AI to clean up the country’s railways and its tech is deployed across 20,000 miles of Network Rail track.
It is also being used for health and safety measures and disease prevention. QLM Technology, based in Arnos Vale, have harnessed AI to detect and image gas leaks from over 100 metres away while the St Philip’s-based Rosa Biotech has created a “synthetic nose” to detect faint chemicals produced by diseases.
As our city’s AI sector continues to grow, its tech ecosystem and skilled workforce will be crucial drivers of its innovation in years to come.
Main photo: University of Bristol
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