Scotland to become an AI Marketing Hub as a £750 Billion Opportunity Looms

The AI boom is transforming the future of UK innovation, and Scotland is taking a hands-on role in growing use cases for the technology.

According to the International Trade Administration, the United Kingdom’s AI market is estimated to grow to over $1 trillion by 2035, representing a value of around £750 billion. The UK is currently placed third in the world based on AI market size, and the future appears bright for the growth of the sector.

Scottish businesses have already been actively embracing artificial intelligence for a range of purposes. While 57% of Scottish SMEs claim to have already invested in artificial intelligence-based technology, 90% intend to do so in the future.

AI

Leading the Marketing AI Charge

April saw the Marketing Society Scotland lead the charge to drive AI innovation within the United Kingdom’s marketing sector in the latest iteration of its flagship Digital Day.

Hosting its 11th sold-out year, the event comprised the world’s thought leaders on the marketing landscape and retained a special focus on the latest artificial intelligence advancements, as well as the future of brand engagement and digital disruption.

Taking place at the Glasgow Science Centre, the event has sought to explore the intricacies of generative AI and how it can transform the future of the industry.

As a globally-focused event, Digital Day has paved the way for Glasgow to become a key knowledge hub for innovations in the industry at a time when artificial intelligence is estimated to create 133 million new jobs globally by 2030, including fresh opportunities surrounding the marketing landscape.

With Marketing Week data showing that 72% of UK marketers are feeling overwhelmed by how quickly their job is changing, Scotland’s AI charge could not only uncover the leading industry practices of tomorrow but also accelerate AI literacy at a time when more employers are looking to embrace artificial intelligence tools in the industry.

Accommodating AI Adoption

Marketing is one of many UK sectors that have actively embraced artificial intelligence tools at scale.

Today, the finance sector is a driving force in AI adoption, with as many as 75% of financial companies already using the technology, representing a significant increase from the 58% reported in 2022.

We’re already seeing evidence of UK marketing technology building an infrastructure to accelerate adoption domestically.

In March, the London-based firm YAi raised £250,000 for its marketing-focused automated content improvement tools, which have the power to assess the quality of copy in real-time while creating new content based on prompts to streamline marketing campaigns across multiple channels.

The windfall, which was raised as part of the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) funding from Jenson Ventures, is intended to support the 98% of marketers who still face challenges in prompt engineering, which is set to become a core component in the future of the industry.

It’s this nationwide focus on supplying UK marketers with the AI tools needed for success while emphasising building a sustainable level of artificial intelligence literacy among its workforce of talented marketers that can pave the way for industry-leading excellence when it comes to digital transformation.

Investing in Scottish Innovation

We’re likely to see more AI use cases emerge in Scotland in the near future, too. In early 2025, Scottish Enterprise’s US MarketBooster Programme saw the founders of five leading science and technology companies descend on Edinburgh to unite Scottish innovation with Silicon Valley.

As part of a pilot programme within Scottish Enterprise’s new mission-based approach, which is intent on doubling the number of scaling companies in Scotland over the next decade, US founders arranged a 16-week intensive support campaign to accelerate market readiness and revenue growth for innovative companies.

Of the five companies chosen to participate in the programme, three specialised in artificial intelligence. Aveni, a financial services AI solutions firm; Lupovis, an AI-driven deception technology cybersecurity firm; and Talking Medicines, an AI-powered conversational data intelligence for healthcare marketing company, all highlight the bright future of Scottish innovation ahead, both inside and outside of AI marketing.

Capitalising on a £750 Billion Opportunity

With the United Kingdom’s artificial intelligence offering a £750 billion opportunity over the decade ahead, we can be sure that the technology will be a transformative force in the future of the nation’s digital transformation efforts.

Both inside and outside of the marketing landscape, Scotland is intent on becoming a hub for not only AI innovation but in building technological literacy for a workforce that’s being challenged to adapt quickly to a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

To capitalise on such a lucrative AI market, initiatives like the Marketing Society Scotland’s Digital Day will provide essential support for employees who want to grow their competencies.

This can not only pave the way for Scotland to become a key AI marketing hub but also a leader in upskilling teams to prepare for the innovations of tomorrow.