Broadband and digital

Sarah MurphyLabour

8 June 2023, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

Manufacturing in Wales: Evidence session 3

Thank you, Chair. I'm just going to ask a couple of questions around automation and artificial intelligence. So, to start with, could you just give us your views on how advances in automation and artificial intelligence are currently affecting the manufacturing sector in Wales and how it might…

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David Hoare

8 June 2023, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

Manufacturing in Wales: Evidence session 3

…in terms of the new challenges that are coming up—Keith has mentioned industry 4.0; there's automation, AI, big data—I would suggest that the Welsh Government and Welsh public policy wants to position Wales in the best possible way from a regulatory perspective so that companies aren't penalised or…

Tagged for: “AI”Official Record

Yr Athro David Pickernell

8 June 2023, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

Manufacturing in Wales: Evidence session 2

…about the future to make that next step.' Now, clearly, in terms of some of the things happening, AI and automation may have great benefits, but because there's so much great up-front cost, there's obviously that way in which you look at risk and reward, and then that links in to what's been talked…

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Mary Williams

8 June 2023, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

Manufacturing in Wales: Evidence session 2

I think that—. It's a really great point that you've raised there, because the danger with AI is about entrenching and perpetuating inequalities that already exist. It's not just us saying this. There are groups—. There's the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development report on the…

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Sarah MurphyLabour

8 June 2023, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

Manufacturing in Wales: Evidence session 2

Yes, and that just moves on to my final question, which comes back to the refreshed automation and AI plan from the Welsh Government. They have said: 'Manufacturing has transformed throughout previous industrial revolutions, with factory environments a microcosm for changes in the working…

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Mary Williams

8 June 2023, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

Manufacturing in Wales: Evidence session 2

Thanks. In terms of automation, I'm reminded of an event I was at about 18 months ago, which was to do with automation and AI, and things like that. There was a guy there who was from a consultancy that dealt with automating systems, and he gave an example of how, somewhere in Wales, his company had…

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Janis Richards

8 June 2023, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

Manufacturing in Wales: Evidence session 2

But that is a support mechanism that really does assist with automation, and AI, ultimately, as well. Funding is absolutely the key thing for moving forward further with automation and AI, absolutely. I think there's also room for culture change within the workplace, so that employees embrace this.…

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Janis Richards

8 June 2023, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

Manufacturing in Wales: Evidence session 2

I think automation is something that probably every manufacturer is looking at; AI not so much. I don't think the emphasis is quite there yet. Our own research found that 77 per cent of manufacturers have increased their spend in automation, and, of those, 75 per cent expect a return on investment…

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Sarah MurphyLabour

8 June 2023, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

Manufacturing in Wales: Evidence session 2

…that I'm a member of Unite Wales. So, to start, I'm going to be asking questions about automation and artificial intelligence. As I raised with our economy Minister in the previous session, there has been a flurry of interest, I feel, over the last couple of weeks in particular, and the UK Prime…

Tagged for: “artificial intelligence”, “AI”Official Record

Vaughan GethingLabour

8 June 2023, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

Manufacturing in Wales: Evidence session 1 - Minister for Economy

…businesses themselves have choices to make. You know, in some of the points, we were talking about AI and other issues as well, one of the six areas is about what's happening. Have you considered what's happening? Are you doing something about it, or are you not considering it at all? What was…

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Samuel KurtzConservative

8 June 2023, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

Manufacturing in Wales: Evidence session 1 - Minister for Economy

I could have another hour on AI. It's incredibly fascinating.

Tagged for: “AI”Official Record

Duncan Hamer

8 June 2023, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

Manufacturing in Wales: Evidence session 1 - Minister for Economy

…developments. The Minister has mentioned the clusters around different parts of Wales, and I think AI plays a really important part in that, and so it's about embracing the opportunity but really being acutely aware of the challenge and the threat as well. I think that point you made around…

Tagged for: “AI”Official Record