South Yorkshire Businesses Asked To Share Their Views on AI and How Well-Prepared They Are To Utilise It

South Yorkshire businesses are being canvassed for their thoughts on AI — and the implications they anticipate it will have for them — via a new questionnaire that is being conducted by the regional Chambers of Commerce.

The Artificial Intelligence Survey is open from now until Monday the 11th of March and gives respondents a chance to articulate their views on different aspects of this hot button topic. Among other things, it will ask whether they perceive AI to be a promising opportunity or a looming threat, if they have the skills in-house to properly utilise said technology, how well-positioned they are when compared to their competitors in this respect, and if they expect the latest developments to have any effect on the number of people they employ.

Equipped with the findings from this poll, the South Yorkshire Chambers (those being the respective networks for Sheffield, Doncaster and Barnsley & Rotherham) will then be able to more authentically represent and support the local business community when it comes to these matters. Indeed, the results will be used to lobby for change that ensures our region is better prepared for the imminent rise of Artificial Intelligence, as its capabilities continue to evolve at a rapid pace.

Feeding into the nationwide Quarterly Economic Survey (QES), the online form also has a number standardised sections pertaining to the economy at large and general business conditions. For instance, there are assorted questions about things like workforce levels, recruitment difficulties and cost pressures, which in turn provide useful insights for both the South Yorkshire Chambers themselves and also for their umbrella body; the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).

Encouraging businesses to take the Artificial Intelligence Survey, the Chief Execs for all three South Yorkshire Chambers issued the following joint statement.

“AI is only increasing in prominence right now and its potential applications are spanning all industries. No sector will be untouched by these rapid developments and, though it goes without saying, we have to acknowledge that things are fundamentally going to change for businesses.

“We truly are on the cusp of another industrial revolution in this sense, so it’s imperative that places like South Yorkshire do not get left behind. That’s why we are running this timely survey, to try and gauge how organisations really feel about the emergence of AI, the opportunities it represents for them, as well as the associated concerns they might have.

“As Chambers who represent the business community, we need to understand how great the appetite is for embracing this technology and what more we —and our strategic partners in the region — can be doing to help. That’s why we are asking firms about their plans in relation to AI and if they know where they can turn to for support in fulfilling their ambitions.

“We want South Yorkshire to be at the very forefront of this emerging sector and the insights gleaned from this survey will be invaluable in getting us there. As is always the case, it will help us to better amplify the voice of local business owners, to authentically represent them on a national stage and to advocate for meaningful change of their behalf. With that said, we are urging organisations to spare just a few minutes here to have their say here, as every last response counts.”

Conducted by the three South Yorkshire Chambers, the Artificial Intelligence Survey is sponsored by ProAktive and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA). It is also part of the nationwide Quarterly Economic Survey, which is itself the nation’s largest independent review of business sentiment.