A focus on skills is needed to stop AI creating economic divides

Andrew Carter explains in Public Finance that automation could be a good thing, but we need to focus on improving skills in cities outside the South of England to stop it creating a greater economic divide between the North and South

Press release published on 21 February 2018 by Andrew Carter

In her speech at Davos last week, the prime minister Theresa May spoke of the potential for artificial intelligence and other technological advances “to continue to revolutionise the possibilities for humanity”, and of the need to put frameworks in place to ensure everyone can benefit from them.

As a new Centre for Cities report shows, the prime minister is right to be optimistic about the opportunities that AI and automation will bring but also that a concerted response is also needed from policy makers to make sure people and places across the country can benefit.

Read more in Public Finance.