AI is to be harnessed to develop technologies to address issues such as cancer risk amongst rescue workers.

The latest round of the Scottish Government’s CivTech programme has awarded up to £9 million to 14 companies developing AI products to tackle challenges faced by charities and public sector organisations. CivTech 10 is the first round of the programme to focus on AI.

Products being developed include:

• Software to help identify toxic contaminants to address the risk of cancer for firefighters.
• An AI system which can help teachers with administrative tasks.
• Using drones and an automated mapping system to monitor puffin populations in a less invasive way.
• An AI support system to enable entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.

“Scotland is well-placed to harness the advantages of artificial intelligence with its rich history of innovation and high concentration of world-leading universities and colleges,” said business minister Richard Lochhead.

“The rapidly growing AI sector offers opportunities for Scotland, from helping to detect health issues such as lung cancer earlier, to enabling businesses to work more efficiently.

“Through CivTech, we are revolutionising how public sector organisations work by collaborating with businesses to develop products which improve lives.”

Previous rounds of CivTech have seen £20 million invested into 90 companies and entrepreneurs since 2016. These include software company Volunteero which developed a mobile app to help charities manage administrative tasks.

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Rebekah MacLeod, lead project liaison officer at White Ribbon Scotland, a charity tackling violence against women which uses Volunteero’s app, said: “Working with Volunteero through the CivTech programme has completely changed how we work as a charity.

“The app means we spend less time worrying about paperwork and more time working with men and boys to directly address violence against women and girls.

“This includes encouraging more men and boys to speak out about violence against women and girls.”