Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of adoption of digital and information technologies by businesses on productivity growth in the UK economy; and what steps they are taking to support the adoption of artificial intelligence to improve productivity.

As highlighted in His Majesty’s Government’s Technology Adoption Review, Historical trends indicate that technological innovations have significantly contributed to GDP growth, with emerging technologies, like AI, expected to drive substantial productivity gains in the coming years.

The Government is committed to realising these benefits. This includes working with industry to upskill 10 million workers with essential AI skills for work through our AI Skills Boost programme, and developing sector specific approaches to galvanise AI adoption in our growth-driving industrial strategy sectors by working with recently appointed AI sector champions. We are also ensuring AI adoption benefits local businesses, workers and communities through our recent announcement of Barnsley as the UK’s first Tech Town, and by delivering local skills and benefits packages in AI Growth Zones.