The Welsh Government has announced £2.1 million in funding to help small and medium-sized enterprises across Wales adopt artificial intelligence and unlock its transformative potential.
The investment aims to empower Welsh SMEs, entrepreneurs and microbusinesses to integrate AI ethically and effectively, boosting productivity, innovation and competitiveness.
Key initiatives include:
- £600,000 for Business Wales to deliver an AI awareness and adoption programme, implementing recommendations from recent reviews on SME productivity and AI uptake.
- £500,000 for tourism and events sectors, including the AI Pollination Project in partnership with the Hartree Centre Cardiff Hub and Cardiff University’s Digital Transformation Innovation Institute. This will provide up to 1,000 Welsh tourism businesses with practical AI skills for digital marketing and content creation.
- £1 million for AI upskilling through the Flexible Skills Programme (FSP), bridging digital skills gaps and supporting inclusive growth. Employers will pay just 25% of AI training costs and 50% for other FSP courses.
Rebecca Evans, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, said:
“This important funding builds on powerful showcases of Welsh innovation, technology, and ambition in dynamic and forward looking sectors at Wales Tech Week and the Wales Investment Summit.
“AI is transforming the business sector, improving productivity and driving change. This programme of AI awareness, adoption and upskilling will help us ensure SMEs across all sectors in Wales are prepared to optimise the potential of emerging AI technologies in responsible, inclusive and ambitious ways.
“This will play a crucial role in putting the AI Plan for Wales into action, enabling people, communities, and businesses in every corner of Wales to start realising the benefits of artificial intelligence.”
Swansea-based Something Different Wholesale is already reaping the benefits of AI, using it to process data, automate tasks, deliver customer services and launch a multilingual global website.
This funding underscores Wales’ commitment to driving digital transformation, ensuring businesses remain competitive in a rapidly evolving global economy.
Image credit: iStock
