FOREWORD

Richard Lochhead MSP, Minister for Small Business, Tourism and Innovation

On 28 March 2024, I was delighted to join the Scottish AI Alliance at the third Scottish AI Summit, which was held at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh.

An aptly named venue for a dynamic topic: though Scotland’s AI Strategy anticipated the need to adapt, the pace of AI development in recent years, and the increasing prevalence and power of new AI technologies, have exceeded expectations, and prompted much conversation about AI and its potentially transformative implications.

That is why last year I asked the Leadership Group of the Alliance to explore what we need to do to maximise opportunities and minimise risks so AI benefits everyone.

Led by its Chair Catriona Campbell their report, ‘Advancing AI for Scotland’, sets out advice and recommendations all designed to take Scotland forward in its goal to be a leader in the development of safe and productive AI.

A full Scottish Government response will follow, but I am pleased to be able to share that we support and will build on the recommendations with a particular focus on –

Supporting our businesses and helping them to benefit from what AI can offer

Work with training and skills providers to ensure that across the nation people have access to the education and opportunities they need to learn how to work and live with AI

Encourage those who manage and provide Scotland’s booming tech infrastructure, to ensure we stay at the forefront of technical development.

Key to all this is the need to ensure that people remain central to everything we do. Only by talking with, listening to and learning from Scotland’s people can we continue to succeed and build on our many strengths.

Our Strategy recognised this need for everyone to respond to AI, while making sure that it is developed and used in a socially responsible way. Much has been achieved, including:

• The Scottish AI Playbook, which continues to be a valuable resource for those working in AI.

• The online ‘Living with AI’ course has helped over a thousand people gain a better understanding of what AI is and how it impacts their lives

• The ‘Children and AI’ programme, in partnership with the Alan Turing Institute and the Children’s Parliament, has developed into a ground breaking and inspiring demonstration of meaningful engagement with children which has attracted interest from all over the world

• The Public Sector AI Task Force, which has brought people together to help with the safe adoption of AI across Scotland’s public bodies.

This report is not only a chance to reflect on the successes and work already delivered, but also an opportunity to look forward.

Alongside working with the Alliance to progress the review recommendations, I am also pleased to say that the Scottish Government will begin mandating use of the Scottish AI Register, making Scotland the first part of the UK to do so. To be rolled out in a phased approach over the coming months, the register is an important tool in ensuring openness and accountability for AI use across the public sector.

The scale and speed of change in the world of AI in the last few years has been breathtaking. I am pleased to see that the Alliance has built on its prior success, made a great contribution last year, and is readying itself to seize the opportunities and confront the challenges of the future in an open and inclusive way.

I hope you find this report to be of interest, and as something of a call to action to join the Alliance if you are not already involved – it is only by working together that Scotland will fully harness the benefits of AI for all.

Catriona Campbell, Chair of the Scottish AI Alliance

Welcome to Scotland’s third State of AI report and my first as Chair. It has been my honour to be the Chair of the AI Alliance and I have relished this unique opportunity to lead and drive forward the delivery of Scotland’s AI Strategy.

Well, what an extraordinary year it has been for AI. It is fair to say that the recent advancements in Generative AI have highlighted the importance of the technology to Scotland.

The AI Alliance has achieved much to be proud of this last year, and there is more in the pipeline. The success of Living with AI, the incredible Children and AI project, the growing communities engagement and participation programme and the ongoing development of the Scottish AI Playbook all greatly contribute to the Strategy’s vision of Scotland as a leader in trustworthy, ethical and inclusive AI.

The review commissioned by Minister Lochhead has also provide the Alliance and its Leadership Group with an opportunity to pause, reflect and review and I am delighted to say that the team will be going into Years 4 and 5 of delivery with a renewed mission and associated objectives. We will also be shaking things up a bit with the governance of the Scottish AI Alliance and will be working to provide more opportunities for people to get involved by convening new advisory groups focussing on specific outcomes and deliverables centred around the objectives.

This will be the last year of a State of AI report as initially committed to in the Strategy and from next year onwards, the Scottish AI Alliance will instead deliver an annual impact report. Look out for more information on our objectives and our new opportunities to get involved as we roll them out over the coming months.

I would like to thank the delivery team in both The Data Lab and the Scottish Government, and the many people who have supported and contributed to the AI Alliance’s work this year. You have all played a vital role in delivering on the commitments made in the AI Strategy and I look forward to working with you all in the coming year.