Former Dragon urges Coventry and Warwickshire businesses to seize 'one in a species' AI opportunity
A former BBC Dragon has told business leaders in Coventry and Warwickshire to embrace a ‘once in a species’ opportunity to make sure they don’t get left behind.
Piers Linney was the keynote speaker at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Economic Conference which took place at the IXL Events Centre in Southam.
The event, sponsored by Prime Accountants Group, heard from a range of business and civic figures covering topics including the local economy of the future, international trade and Coventry and Warwickshire’s live, work and play offering.
Linney is known for his time on Dragon’s Den and the Secret Millionaire and he’s the co-founder of Implement AI.
He told the audience: “This is the fourth industrial revolution. It is about intelligence.
“We are at the very earliest stages of AI but I would say to businesses you need to be using it now to augment yourself and your people.
“Over the next two to five years it is going to seep into everything we do but this is not a once in a generation opportunity or a once in a lifetime opportunity. It is once in a species. That’s how important it is. That is how big it is.
“So, go away and learn how to use it. That is the first step.
“I don’t do anything without consulting AI because it gives me so much time back in the day. You can use this technology to make yourself better and make your business more productive and profitable.”
Earlier in the day, Corin Crane, the chief executive of the Chamber opened the event before introducing Rt Hon Sir Jeremy Wright KC MP for Kenilworth and Southam who said the region was in a strong place to grow in the future due the mix of industries across the city and the county.
Emma Wilks, UK Economist with HSBC, looked at the wider economic picture before joining a panel with Steve Harcourt, director of Prime Accountants Group; Julie White, managing director of D-Drill & Sawing; Sukhy Carey, director of Talent Labs; and Lash Saranna on the Local Economy of the Future.
Paul Noon OBE, of Coventry University, hosted a panel on international trade with David Hooper, of Independent Freight Solutions; Fiona Begley, of UK Export Finance; and Tom Marren, of WOMAG; which encouraged companies in the region to trade globally.
The final panel before Linney’s keynote speech looked at Coventry and Warwickshire as a destination and including contributions from Nicola Said, of Visit England; Tom Screen, of Birmingham Airport; Paul Michael, of the CBS Arena; and Atul Lakhani, of the IXL Events Centre. It was chaired by Coventry City Council’s Andy Williams.
More than 200 people attended the conference and was supported by media partner PLMR Advent and a range of business exhibitors including Talbots Law, Dr Ashok’s, West Midlands Trains, Coventry City Council, Destination Coventry and Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber Training.
Corin said: “This is an exciting time for Coventry and Warwickshire and, while we know there are challenges, we know this is a very special place to do business.”
