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Barnsley Named UK’s First Tech Town to Pilot AI in Schools, NHS, and Business

This week, Barnsley was named the UK's first Tech Town, securing government backing to pilot AI tutoring in schools, provide free AI training, and trial tools in the NHS.
The move comes after recent national AI steps, as Barnsley's ambitions aim to show AI's benefits in learning, business, and public services following the UK government's free AI courses and Lanarkshire, Scotland's AI growth zone.
Local leaders welcomed the designation, and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall will visit Barnsley alongside UK chief executives of Microsoft and Cisco, pledging support, to help achieve the town's tech ambitions.
Local organisations will receive bespoke government support to trial AI tools in local schools, the local college, local businesses, and NHS services in Barnsley, while Barnsley residents will be invited to `Tech Town Halls` to shape AI use.
Experts on frontier technology warn AI can deepen inequalities or open doors for left-behind communities, with Rotherham's advanced manufacturing cluster as an example of industrial reinvention.

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17 Articles

The Register

Center

UK names first AI town, declines to comment on jobs impact

AI-pocalypse: South Yorkshire becomes ground zero for nationwide experiment with £500K seed funding

16 hours ago

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BBC News

Center

Barnsley to become AI 'trailblazer' as UK's first Tech Town

Barnsley Council hails the news as "one of the most important investments" in the town's history.

20 hours ago·United Kingdom

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examinerlive.co.uk

Center

Barnsley named UK's first Tech Town with Microsoft backing AI drive - Yorkshire Live

South Yorkshire town to receive Government support for AI in schools, colleges, businesses and NHS infrastructure

1 day ago

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Evening Standard

+2 Reposted by 2 other sources

Center

UK’s first Government-backed Tech Town named

Schools and colleges, businesses and hospitals in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, will receive Government support to develop AI tools and digital skills.

1 day ago·London, United Kingdom

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The Independent

Lean Left

The industrial town that’s set to become a UK tech and AI hub

Barnsley has been named the UK’s first ‘Tech Town’ and will now benefit from increased AI opportunities

1 day ago·London, United Kingdom

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Yorkshire Post

Center

Barnsley can be at the coalface of innovation as Britain’s first-ever Tech Town

Barnsley being named Britain’s first-ever Tech Town is to be welcomed for a multitude of reasons. Local schools, the local college, businesses and the NHS will be amongst the organisations to get bespoke Government support to unleash opportunities presented by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

2 days ago·Leeds, United Kingdom

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