Wide-ranging measures have been unveiled to place Scotland at the forefront of the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution.

Scotland’s AI Strategy sets out a five-year plan to ensure people, businesses and public services across the country benefit from AI.

Independent analysis estimates the AI sector could be worth £23 billion to the Scottish economy by 2035 and the Strategy details increased support for businesses to expand the use of AI to develop new products and services, grow market share and generate new jobs and investment.

Initiatives to be implemented in the first year include establishing an independent expert advisory board to provide strategic guidance on the strategy’s delivery.

The Scottish Government also intends to  appoint AI Champions to represent priority sectors and regions.

The strategy will also roll out an expanded AI adoption programme for businesses to help drive productivity and competitiveness across the economy

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Finally, the strategy will see the creation of a Future Jobs Panel to assess AI’s impact on the workforce and establishing an AI Leadership Academy established.

“The unprecedented pace at which AI is increasing and evolving presents an enormous opportunity. It has the potential to be genuinely transformative – for every sector of our economy, and for people from all backgrounds and communities,” deputy first minister Kate Forbes said at the Edinburgh Futures Institute in Edinburgh, upon the strategy’s launch.

“This strategy sets out a clear plan to harness the economic and social benefits of AI responsibly with practical, tangible steps to be taken this year to help ensure we translate our innovation and expertise into more businesses, jobs and investment.

“In establishing AI Scotland we will use the expertise of our enterprise agencies, The Data Lab and other partners to lead an accelerated, co-ordinated approach to ensure Scotland’s economy and society reaps the rewards of this incredible technology.”