Island community encouraged to ‘Activate AI’ as part of new programme launched by Digital Isle of Man

Digital Isle of Man have announced the first phase of their ‘Activate AI’ programme, which will see the implementation of new products and services to help the community understand and adopt evolving Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in ways which will benefit businesses, jobs and the wider economy.

‘Activate AI’, a programme supported by the Economic Strategy Board, aims to raise awareness of how AI can support the growth and upskilling of businesses and individuals in the Isle of Man, with the headline target to increase GDP by 10% by 2030 using AI solutions across public and private sectors.

The first phase of the ‘Activate AI’ programme is focused on initiatives which seek to dispel fear of the technology, educate and provide upskilling opportunities for all Island residents.

At a community level, Activate AI will begin with the launch of a new free training platform, Learnai.im, which will provide over 200 hours of online training for all members of the community with an ‘AI for everyone’ approach to content.

For local businesses, Digital Isle of Man will be launching an applied AI service enabling them to work with Activation Partners to explore AI growth opportunities, submit problem statements and work with Activation Partners to develop AI solutions to be trialled.

The applied AI service will commence with the opening of expressions of interest for experienced local individuals to become ‘Activation Partners’ who will support businesses to drive forward AI-based solutions and proof of concepts (trials) to solve business problems using AI technology.

Following the appointment of Activation Partners, local businesses will be able to sign up through Digital Isle of Man’s website to begin the process which will enable them to work with Activation Partners to realise the value of AI within their business and implement tangible solutions free of charge.

The applied AI service will be headquartered at the 'AI Activation Centre' at Hilary House, Douglas, offering a physical space for businesses to work with Activation Partners.

Residents and businesses are invited to find out more about the programme and opportunities to upskill themselves and their business at a number of public roadshow events, taking place from 12-16 August.

Lyle Wraxall, Chief Executive Officer, Digital Isle of Man, commented:

‘The Activate AI programme is an exciting initiative for Digital Isle of Man, enabling us to work with the local community to empower and share knowledge and applications of AI which have the potential to increase productivity and skills across the economy.

‘AI is a rapidly evolving technology with a vast range of applications, and its landscape is changing daily. That’s why our first phase is focused on educating, and helping our community become more comfortable with the technology at a fundamental level.

‘Through our Memorandum of Understanding with AI Singapore we have secured our residents and businesses access to the best products, services and expertise to harness AI’s potential and boost productivity on a national scale.

‘This is just the beginning of our journey in this space, and I look forward to working collectively with the community to continue to evolve our proposition and explore its full potential.’

Tim Johnston MHK, Minister for Enterprise, commented:

‘The long-term Economic Strategy sets out a vision to create a more secure, vibrant and sustainable future for the Isle of Man. This includes significant economic ambitions and shifts such as growing our GDP, increasing jobs, enhancing infrastructure and services, and prioritising sustainability targets.

‘The Activate AI programme supports all of these ambitions, and signals an active investment into skills, productivity and our businesses as we seek to leverage existing advantages and further enable innovation across our entire economy by making this technology as accessible as possible for our residents and businesses.’

Further information on each of the ‘Activate AI’ initiatives will be announced in the coming weeks. To find out more and receive the latest updates, sign up to the official Activate AI newsletter.