Artificial intelligence has moved another step up the Government’s agenda in the Andy Burnham premiership. The decision to give the AI minister a seat at the Cabinet table may sound like just another Whitehall reshuffle, but it sends a clear message: AI is no longer being treated as a niche technology. It is now economic policy. For businesses across Dorset, that’s a signal that should be noted.
When people think of Dorset they often picture tourism, farming and market towns. Those remain central to our economy, but they are no longer the whole story. Across our business pages we’ve reported on advanced engineering, defence technology, food innovation and sustainable manufacturing. These are all exactly the kinds of sectors where AI is likely to have the greatest impact over the next decade.
For many smaller businesses, AI still feels distant, intimidating or just the chatbot who helps you write a decent email. In reality, it may first appear in much more ordinary ways: analysing accounts, managing stock, helping with customer service or reducing repetitive administration.
Economist Richard Baldwin said: ‘AI won’t take your job, but a person using AI probably will.’ Like the internet before it, businesses that learn how to use it sensibly are likely to gain an advantage over those that ignore it or treat it carelessly.
The challenge for Dorset isn’t to become Silicon Valley. It is to make sure that local businesses – whether a family farm, an engineering company, a brewery or an independent retailer – understand where AI can genuinely improve productivity and where the human touch will always matter more.
Dorset has always adapted. From agriculture to aerospace, brewing to advanced manufacturing, the county’s businesses have continually evolved. AI looks set to become the next stage in that journey.
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