The ambition

Artificial Intelligence (AI) research and adoption is growing rapidly. Over the next decades, AI will transform many sectors across the economy. It will play an important role in post-pandemic recovery and drive cross-sector innovation.

The Department for the Economy of Northern Ireland (DfE NI), which promotes the development of a globally competitive economy, recognises the potential of AI. Together with the Science and Industry Panel for NI Matrix and Digital Catapult NI, it is establishing an AI Competence Centre in Northern Ireland. This Centre will support the development of AI across key sectors and maximise future research and commercialisation opportunities.

To support the development of the Centre, DfE was keen to understand current and future opportunities for AI in Northern Ireland’s economy. It commissioned a sectoral foresight study to analyse how different sectors could benefit from the adoption of AI.

Our approach

To help DfE and Matrix understand the potential of AI in key sectors of the economy, Firetail designed a three-step assessment framework. It assessed each sector based on NI’s existing research base, the current and forecasted economic state of the sector as well as the transformative potential of AI, including the state of AI developments.

Firetail gathered evidence through qualitative and quantitative desk research of key documents and reports. We also engaged with leading AI experts and members of the academic and industry community in Northern Ireland and abroad. In addition, Firetail designed a model to estimate the economic impact of AI in NI over the next decade.

The impact

Firetail provided an in-depth comparative assessment of the attractiveness of AI in key sectors of the NI economy. We identified key opportunities and challenges for different sectoral approaches for the Competence Centre.

Based on this, we provided a set of recommendations to maximise the impact of the Competence Centre. These included having a flexible and responsive approach to cross-sectoral working, strengthening collaboration across actors and borders, and leveraging UK wide strategies on ‘levelling up’.

Following the publication of the report, Firetail was invited to speak at AI Con, NI’s annual AI conference to share the relevant findings and recommendations with a wider audience. DfE, Matrix and Catapult NI are committed to taking up the insights and recommendations in the development of the Competence Centre.

Press release

Executive summary

Full report