Scotland’s innovation centre for data and AI marks first decade with £200m revenue boost

Impact report outlines the benefits The Data Lab has brought to the Scottish economy and job creation.

The Data Lab academy class of 2022 at Innovation Week in Stirling.

Scotland’s innovation centre for data and artificial intelligence is marking its first decade by generating £200 million in revenues, as well as creating and safeguarding some 1,350 jobs.

As it prepares to celebrate its tenth anniversary, The Data Lab has published an impact report outlining the benefits it says it has brought to both the Scottish economy and job creation. The study highlights that, through a number of partnerships cultivated by the centre over the last decade, some 145 projects have been collaborated on.

This has included Scottish universities and colleges across the length and breadth of Scotland, covering projects in Shetland, Inverness, Dundee and across the Central Belt. The Data Lab has also secured £90m in funding with Scottish, UK and EU consortia for projects related to health, the built environment and transport.

Chief executive Brian Hills said: “The landscape of data and artificial intelligence (AI) has completely changed over the last decade, leading to a greater understanding and appreciation of this technology. In the last 12 months alone, AI has become a technology no one can ignore and something that is set to completely revolutionise how organisations operate.

“However, embracing the use of data and AI requires skill, and it is reassuring that so many people recognise this. The fact that 80,000 people have registered for online courses created or funded by The Data Lab is recognition of the huge desire to increase adoption of data and AI. Supporting so many people in their learning journey is an honour.”

The report outlines how the innovation centre has been central to generating £200m in additional revenue for the data and AI sector north of the Border. It has also established a “flourishing” data and AI community which has grown to more than 3,500 members from across 60 countries.

Hills added: “Growing a thriving network of individuals to collaborate, network, engage and learn at various stages of their career is no mean feat, yet we are seeing people come together from all over the world to learn from each other.”

The age of the data pioneers - Brian Hills