GrowthZoneAI Perspective: North East Must Embrace AI — But Let’s Do It Right

There’s a big discussion going on right now about artificial intelligence in the North East — one that isn’t just about technology, but about opportunity, readiness, and what work actually looks like.

The message from regional leaders and the BBC article is clear: this isn’t a future question anymore — it’s a now question.

At GrowthZoneAI, we agree the North East has real reasons to be optimistic. The region has been designated as an AI Growth Zone, with the potential for thousands of jobs and billions in investment tied to AI development across infrastructure, advanced data services, and supporting industries.

But here’s the bit that matters most:

AI only delivers value when people and companies are ready to use it.

That nuance wasn’t the headline — but it’s the lived reality we see with local businesses every week.

What the BBC article highlights

• The North East aims to become a tech and AI hub
• Big investments (including data centre expansion) are coming
• Leaders are urging companies to embrace AI or risk falling behind
• Energy and infrastructure are part of the groundwork
• Education and skills need to keep pace with change

GrowthZoneAI take

This isn’t about avoiding AI because it’s scary. It’s about:

• Starting with the work you already do
• Identifying the repetitive, time-wasting tasks
• Giving people back thinking space
• Building confidence with AI step by step

We don’t want local businesses to be “smashed” by technology — we want them to use it to make work clearer, calmer, and more consistent. That’s the practical side of embracing AI.

What this means for local companies

AI isn’t just infrastructure or big investment:

• It’s real workflows — emails, reporting, customer interactions
• It’s saving hours each week on repetitive tasks
• It’s freeing people up to think, decide, and create
• It’s building confidence, not anxiety

At GrowthZoneAI, we help North East businesses take the first step:

• Understanding where AI fits in their actual work
• Avoiding noise and shiny tool overload
• Getting practical, meaningful, measurable results

Because technology isn’t what decides success — the way people use it is.

AI in the North East is here. The question now is: what are we going to do with it?