Diversity and AI lead the way at start of London Tech Week

Theresa May has launched the sixth annual London Tech Week festival, saying the UK is sitting "on the cusp of the next great industrial revolution."

The event, which takes place across London from 10 to 14 June, aims to promote the capital as a global technology hub.

Mrs May announced a number of ambitious investment commitments to the UK's tech industry totalling around £6m at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Monday.

Mrs May's speech was one of her first appearances as interim Prime Minster after she resigned as Conservative Leader on Friday.

Prime Minister Theresa May making a speech at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, east London, to mark the launch of London Tech Week.
PA

A line-up of speakers and events from tech brands like Microsoft, IBM, Google and Facebook will take place throughout the week to showcase recent AI, Internet of Things and blockchain innovations.

Investment plans include £153m of government funding plus a £205m pledge by the industry to invest in quantum technologies like accelerated drug development from quantum computing.

This year for the first time, 2,500 places have also been made available on AI and data conversation courses starting in 2020, including 1,000 government-funded scholarships to open up opportunities for people from all backgrounds.

Organisers of London Tech Week 2019 are pushing to diversify the industry after a 2018 report showed that only 14.6 percent of UK tech leaders were women and 70.5 percent have no BAME members at all.

“We have the ecosystem, the talent and ambition to continue leading the conversation in tech,” said Carolyn Dawson, Managing Director of Informa Tech, who spearheaded the festival.

London Tech Week saw 55,000 attendees last year and it is anticipated that this year’s TechXLR8 will welcome more than 15,000 attendees, 8,000 companies, and 600 tech speakers.

Focus is also being placed on the UK’s role in driving the growth of Ai.

Cindy Rose, CEO of Microsoft UK said: “Given the pace of change in technologies like Artificial Intelligence, there has never been a more important time for London Tech Week.

“The UK has a long history of world leading technological innovation and is ideally placed to capitalise on the AI opportunity for economic growth.”

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