Get on board with AI or risk being left behind, Dragons’ Den star tells Chamber conference

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce held its inaugural Business Growth Studio Conference at Edgbaston Stadium yesterday. The conference – sponsored by University College Birmingham, B13.ai and Sandwell College – featured a host of high-profile keynote speakers and panellists including Dragons’ Den star Piers Linney and former Business Secretary Greg Clark. Here, the Chamber’s reporting team of DAN HARRISON, FERON JAYAWARDENE and DARBY NEWMAN round up the day’s events.

Former Dragons’ Den investor Piers Linney alerted conference delegates to the exponential growth of AI that will take place in the coming years - urging them to get on board or risk being left behind.

The co-founder of Implement AI (pictured) was speaking about seizing opportunities with a growth mindset during the Business Growth Studio Conference, held yesterday at Edgbaston Stadium.

Mr Linney said: “AI today is the worst it’s ever going to be. Industry leaders predict that within five years, Artificial General Intelligence will take precedence - replacing all cognitive tasks with AI.

“There will come a time when AI grows exponentially and those not embracing it won’t be able to keep up. Don’t miss the boat.

“In a business perspective, use AI automation to handle day-to-day tasks and free up your time to grow revenue through workforce development.

“Don’t get lost in the noise. Start small — find one task and use AI to make it better, while always thinking big.”

Mr Linney also pointed to real-world examples that are making a difference, including a recruitment firm that used AI to record 3,500 calls outside of office hours.

He also cautioned businesses to prepare the next five-year plan with AI in mind, or risk falling behind the curve.

Mr Linney continued: “The next five-year plan will be the most important you’ll ever work on.

“In this period, you’ll see increased AI use in cognitive work and major strides in physical work.

“Within five years, you need to transform your business into an AI-first version — or risk being left behind.”

The morning session also featured a discussion with Lisa Capper, CEO and Principal at Sandwell College.

Lisa noted that while colleges are focused on attracting young people into their businesses, it is important to look beyond technical training.

She said: “Today’s children may not be formally taught AI skills, yet they are already fluent in technology through lived experience.

“More importantly, education is equipping them with core attributes — adaptability, resilience, flexibility and teamwork — qualities that will prove just as critical as technical know-how in shaping a workforce ready for an AI-enabled future.”

Mayors give regions 'more clout'

THE ROLE of the West Midlands mayor has given the region “more clout in central Government and internationally”, according to former Business Secretary Greg Clark.

The former Tory MP, who is now executive chair of University of Warwick's Innovation District and chair of the Warwick Manufacturing Group, said the introduction of elected metro mayors in 2017 has been important in helping attract investment into English regions.

“When it comes to foreign investment, for example, there's a big international scramble to attract foreign investors,” Mr Clark said during a fireside chat with the GBCC’s acting deputy CEO Raj Kandola.

“The mayor of Chicago, the mayor of Marseille and the mayor of Paris will be there deploying their case and saying: ‘If you come to us, this is what we can offer, we can find you a site and we’ll be able to support you with skills and things like that’.

“So, to create these figures would be important internationally, but also important in the government of our country as well.

“I observed when I first became a Minister in 2010, that if your private office said: ‘The Mayor of London is on the phone’, you would think: ‘I better take that call.’ But there was no equivalent anywhere else.

“Now I think with the likes of (former West Midlands mayor) Andy Street and (current West Midlands mayor) Richard Parker and (mayor of Greater Manchester) Andy Burnham, they are figures who are known nationally and have given their cities and regions more clout in central government as well as internationally.

“It’s still very new but I think that it’s a good thing – in first Andy and now Richard you've got someone that can literally go around the world and make the case for the West Midlands.”

Mr Clark was also joined by West Midlands Combined Authority interim CEO Ed Cox and entrepreneur Pamela Aculey for a panel discussion about the role of Government in unlocking growth.

Ms Aculey is the co-founder and CEO of MIXD Reality – an innovative tech firm that uses augmented reality to create immersive experiences for children by bringing traditional books and learning materials to life.

She discussed growing her business with support from Innovate UK’s Design for Growth programme, which provided guidance in areas such as branding, web design and messaging.

Mr Cox provided an overview of the WMCA’s Growth Plan – highlighting the importance of people, skills, innovation, high-growth clusters and “what the world thinks of the West Midlands.”

'Everything you need is there - just ask for help' 

CONFERENCE delegates heard how best-selling supplement Absolute Collagen went from a personal art project to a multi-million pound product.

Maxine Laceby, co-founder of the brand which was named in The Times’ Top 100 fastest-growing firms in the UK, spoke about the obstacles she faced in creating and expanding the company.

She discussed adopting a “solution-orientated” focus to grow the brand, which she started alongside daughter Darcy in 2017.

Maxine said the Absolute Collagen team now consists of 70 people and has sold over 10 million doses to date.

She said: “Business shouldn’t be difficult - everything you need is there, you just need to ask for help.”

Maxine also took part in the panel discussion that followed, alongside David Paulson, executive dean-Business School, University College Birmingham, Liz Martins, economist at HSBC, and William Bain, head of Trade Policy, British Chambers of Commerce

The panel discussed a range of topics including international trade, artificial intelligence, tariffs, skills gaps, key market trends, economic shifts and uncertainty, the global outlook for business, and recruitment and financial struggles.

Attendees shared with the panel that their biggest business concerns in the current climate are around business taxation and inflation.

Find out more about the GBCC’s Business Growth Studio.