Businesses offered support with automation, robotics and AI

Efforts are being stepped up to support businesses in the Highlands and Islands to benefit more from advanced digital technologies.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has developed an automation, robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) support programme following feedback from its rural business survey.

The agency has refocused its digital specialist advice programme to provide grants of up to £5,000 to its existing clients.

These are to help businesses procure their own one-to-one specialist advice on automation, robotics and AI and create a feasibility study for the adoption of digital technologies in the business including the impacts it may have.

The scheme is available until March 2025.

Theresa Swayne senior development manager for advanced digital and technology adoption in HIE’s innovation and technology team said:

“We know from our rural business surveys and discussions with clients that there is a healthy appetite among businesses in our region to adopt more advanced technologies, which can bring many benefits.

“The automation of manufacturing processes can boost productivity and data innovation and the smart use of artificial intelligence can make administrative functions more efficient. The use of advanced digital technologies can create higher value jobs making them more rewarding by automating mundane tasks and they can be applied to good effect in helping to cut carbon emissions.

“Alongside the opportunities presented by digital technologies and artificial intelligence there are risks and ethical considerations. This package of support is about raising awareness of the many benefits; helping more businesses to explore what it could mean for them, their productivity and their people, and then supporting them to bring technology into their operations in the most cost effective, secure and ethical way.”