Scottish ministers are asking businesses to identify what would help them use artificial intelligence, as the Government convenes an industry roundtable in Edinburgh. Innovation Minister Alyn Smith is due to meet techUK chief executive Julian David and representatives from technology and business organisations at CodeBase on Tuesday, 3 November.
The discussion is intended to hear directly from companies about what enables AI adoption and what holds it back. It will also consider how Scotland’s universities and colleges can help develop the AI and data skills needed by employers. The meeting is a listening and policy discussion; no new decisions, grants or commitments are announced in the event notice.
From interest to practical use
The Government’s stated aim is to understand the conditions that make adoption workable across firms, including established businesses and start-ups. In describing the purpose, Smith invited companies that are curious, cautious or sceptical about AI to explain what would make a difference. The emphasis is therefore not solely on promoting the technology, but on finding barriers as well as opportunities from businesses’ experience.
The range of participants is intended to bring different perspectives into the conversation. The named organisations in the announced techUK delegation include Google, Lloyds Banking Group, Cisco, Deloitte, Wipro, Jisc, ePass, Condatis, The Data Lab, the National Robotarium and REACT. Their presence does not mean that every organisation has endorsed a particular policy or technology, nor does the announcement report conclusions from the meeting.
Skills are another strand. The roundtable is expected to discuss the contribution of universities and colleges to AI and data capability. That connects education and research with the practical question of whether businesses can find the expertise they need to evaluate, introduce and manage new tools. The announcement identifies this as a topic for discussion rather than specifying new courses, qualifications or workforce targets.
Support for smaller firms
Some assistance is already available to small and medium-sized enterprises through the National AI Adoption Programme for SMEs. The programme, backed by £1.8 million and launched in August, is described as helping smaller businesses get started with AI and build confidence in using it safely and effectively. Its predecessor reached more than 1,000 businesses. That earlier reach is a reported programme figure, not evidence that all those firms adopted AI or achieved measurable productivity gains.
Separate information about the programme describes practical support such as mentoring, workshops and grant funding. These can help companies identify possible uses, plan implementation and develop or test solutions suited to their needs. Support is not the same as guaranteed success: firms still need to decide whether a proposed application is appropriate, proportionate and useful for their operations.
The distinction matters because adoption is not simply a matter of acquiring software. Businesses may need relevant skills, suitable data, time to test systems and processes for safe use. The roundtable’s purpose is to hear where the obstacles lie, but the public announcement does not quantify those barriers or indicate which interventions participants will recommend.
A long-term economic estimate
The Government cites an estimate from GC Insight that AI could add more than £23 billion to Scotland’s annual gross domestic product by 2035, if the right investment and leadership are in place. This is a projection of potential additional annual output, not a sum already generated, a guaranteed result or a forecast of the effect of this roundtable. The estimate is conditional on action across government and business.
Scotland’s 2026–2031 AI Strategy is presented as the wider framework for pursuing responsible and inclusive growth. The Edinburgh meeting brings that ambition into contact with industry experience, but its immediate outcome is not yet known. The useful test will be whether the concerns raised translate into practical support, skills development and conditions that let businesses make informed choices about AI.
For now, the announcement establishes who is meeting, where the discussion is taking place and the subjects on the agenda. It does not publish a transcript, participant recommendations or follow-up timetable. The £23 billion figure should be read alongside that limitation: it describes an opportunity dependent on investment and leadership, while the roundtable is one step in seeking views on what might enable firms to participate.
