Cornish businesses are being invited to explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can drive innovation and growth at the Cornwall AI Summit, this month.

Orchestrated by the University of Exeter, Cornwall, the flagship event will bring together business leaders, researchers and digital experts to discuss how AI is transforming industries and what it means for organisations in the county.

It will include keynote speakers, panel discussions, and a series of free, practical workshops aimed at helping organisations apply AI to their operations.

The summit will be staged at the Eden Project on 12 November, and will also highlight the region’s growing role in digital innovation and sustainability.

“As a university of and for Cornwall, it is vitally important that we bring together business, academia, and the public sector so that we can support innovation and economic development in the Duchy/county,” says Professor Martin Siegert, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for the University of Exeter, Cornwall, who will introduce the event. “Harnessing AI is a key priority across every sector, so this summit is a timely and valuable opportunity to learn from real-world successes, and build meaningful connections between our respective worlds that we hope will lead to innovation and the acquisition of new skills and technology.”

The opening session will be chaired by Holly Patton, from Tech Cornwall, and will feature a keynote speech by Mark Thompson, a Professor of Digital Economy in INDEX (Initiative for the Digital Economy) at the University, on How AI is Radically Changing the Way We Do Business. A leading voice in the digital space, Professor Thompson is acknowledged as one of the architects of digital service redesign within the UK public sector. He blends the roles of academic, practitioner and policy commentator, and is a regular contributor in the media as well as chairing key national conferences.

Following this, Andrew Proctor, Executive Lead for UK Education at Amazon Web Services (AWS), will share his insights on lessons learned in digital transformation across the public and private sectors, drawing on AWS’s extensive experience of enabling organisations to innovate and grow through technology.

Throughout the day, there will sessions highlighting regional opportunities, real-world business examples, and AI skills development. John Brown, CEO of Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, and Chloe Rickard, Digital Futures Academy Lead at Cornwall Council, will chair panels exploring how businesses can make the most of emerging technologies and build the skills needed to thrive in an AI-driven economy.
By deepening engagement with local business networks, the summit will also support the Digital Futures Cornwall consortium – of which the University of Exeter is a partner – in establishing a long-term presence as a trusted source for digital skills training across the region.

Delegates can then choose from a series of free, practical workshops delivered by Dixon AI in the afternoon. Funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, these hands-on sessions will offer step-by-step guidance on applying AI in business, helping organisations translate ideas into action.

Tickets for the Cornwall AI Summit are £25, which includes refreshments, lunch, and access to the afternoon workshops. For more information visit: Cornwall AI Summit Tickets, Wed, Nov 12, 2025 at 8:30 AM | Eventbrite.