Residents of a South Yorkshire town will receive free artificial intelligence courses and enhanced public services after major technology companies pledged support for a government initiative positioning Barnsley as Britain’s AI trailblazer.
Microsoft, Cisco and Adobe have committed to providing training programmes and digital skills development following Technology Secretary Liz Kendall’s announcement on Tuesday designating Barnsley as the UK’s first government-backed Tech Town.
The corporate backing will enable people of all ages to access training in growing tech industries, with companies promising initiatives to boost AI and digital talent across the community. Microsoft and Cisco’s UK chief executives joined Kendall on a visit to see the town’s digital ambitions firsthand.
Tech Town status means Barnsley will pilot AI applications across education, healthcare and business over the next 18 months, creating a national blueprint for how artificial intelligence can improve everyday life in communities beyond London and the South East.
Barnsley College and the South Yorkshire Institute of Technology will deliver free courses allowing residents to boost careers, retrain or learn new skills. The Seam Digital Campus, currently home to 33 digital businesses, will expand to provide hands-on support for small firms adopting new technology and creating local jobs around a planned National Centre for Digital Technologies.
Barnsley Hospital will test AI tools offering quicker patient check-ins, faster triage and smoother outpatient care, freeing NHS workers to focus on patient treatment. Schools and Barnsley College will trial AI and educational technology tools to improve pupil outcomes, increase inclusion and reduce teacher workload.
Infrastructure improvements will include better use of technology in public buildings, enhanced Wi-Fi connectivity and strengthened cybersecurity to build confidence in digital services.
Sarah Walker, CEO of Cisco UK and Ireland, stated: “AI is set to be more transformative than the advent of the Internet. But to really matter to our citizens today, it must translate locally.”
She added the Tech Town initiative would demonstrate “how AI can be applied in real places, for real people, to make everyday life and work better.”
Barnsley Council Leader Sir Stephen Houghton described the designation as “one of the most important investments in Barnsley in our history” that will secure long-term economic future. The council’s Inclusive Economic Growth Strategy already targets becoming the UK’s leading digital town.
South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard credited work led by Houghton and Barnsley Council for building “a thriving digital ecosystem” including The Seam Digital Campus, growing digital and creative business clusters, and cutting-edge training facilities.
Government AI Ambassador and 2024 Nobel Prize Winner for Economics Simon Johnson emphasised the importance of putting ordinary people in the driving seat, stating Barnsley can “guide us to an AI-powered future that puts people and their families first, and that builds stronger communities.”
Local organisations including Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce and Barnsley CVS will partner the initiative. Residents will be invited to “Tech Town Halls” giving them input on how AI is deployed across the community and opportunities to provide feedback.
The announcement follows government action last week including launch of free AI training for all as part of plans to upskill 10 million UK workers, naming Lanarkshire as the latest AI Growth Zone, and £36 million investment in the AI Research Resource supercomputer in Cambridge.
Barnsley already embraces emerging technologies, with delivery company EVRi recently trialling robot delivery dogs and the council rolling out Microsoft Copilot to support social care teams with paperwork.
Schools in Barnsley are being considered for summer trials of AI-powered tutoring tools announced last month, designed to support up to 450,000 disadvantaged children who cannot afford private tutors.
The £15 million Barnsley campus of South Yorkshire Institute of Technology offers state-of-the-art learning environments replicating industry conditions with latest equipment. Implementation of Tech Town initiatives will proceed over the coming months with regular community consultation.
