Barnsley rebranded UK’s first ‘tech town’ as US giants join AI push

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Robert BoothFebruary 3, 2026 at 01:01 AM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

Barnsley, a town in South Yorkshire, UK, is being rebranded as Britain's first "tech town" with the support of the UK government and US tech giants like Microsoft, Google, Cisco, and Adobe. The initiative aims to integrate AI into local services such as schools, hospitals, and businesses to improve everyday life and address economic challenges stemming from the decline of the coal industry. Residents will receive free AI and digital training, while local institutions will test AI tools for various applications. Barnsley has already been utilizing AI in areas like social care and infrastructure maintenance. While local leaders express optimism about the potential economic benefits, some opposition voices have raised concerns about the rapid shift and the overall impact of AI.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Labour Party (UK) ×240% Evri 50% Barnsley College ×250% Adobe 60% South Yorkshire ×260% Sir Stephen Houghton ×260% Liz Kendall 70% UK ×270% Microsoft ×270% Google ×270% Cisco ×270% Barnsley ×990%

Keywords

tech town 100% artificial intelligence 90% barnsley 80% technology 70% digital training 60% us tech companies 50% economic opportunity 50% ai adoption 40%