North East mayor invests £750k in primary school AI education

The North East mayor will invest £750,000 in a government programme to educate primary school children on AI and digital technology.

The investment in the TechFirst programme is intended to benefit 30,000 children, going towards, among other things, arranging “discovery days” and facilitating the engagement of local businesses with schools to outline career paths and potential advantages of AI.

Kim McGuinness, the North East mayor, said that recent financial backing for AI technology and training showed that “the North East is the one to watch when it comes to cutting-edge tech and AI”.

She said: “We’re already working closely with local employers, training providers and schools to make the North East the best place to live, work and thrive when it comes to tech.

“But we know we need to go further to make sure local people really benefit from more opportunities than ever before. That’s why we’re investing in training so our young people can make the most of the exciting opportunities around AI”.

The funding was announced at the second meeting of the North East AI Growth Zone Taskforce - a coalition of AI industry representatives, local universities, and digital skills providers, established in 2025 to support a government initiative to boost employment and attract investment in the region.

This follows the central government’s £1.5million commitment to TechFirst for the North East, with the stated aim of helping 1 million young people from across the country benefit from the increasing importance of AI.

A regional target, agreed upon by the mayor and government, of 80,000 local students benefitting from AI and tech training by 2029 has also been put forward for the first time. Complementary to this, commitments have been made to aid 1000 local teachers teach AI, while the Authority has also stated that it will deliver 150 local work placements.

Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said that “the North East is already showing how AI can deliver for working people, with billions of pounds invested and thousands of new jobs on the way”.

She added: “We’re investing in that progress for the long term.

“By giving young people the AI skills they need, supporting start-ups and acting to bring more women into tech we can keep talent and opportunity in the North East.”

This comes as the North East AI Growth Zone Prospectus has been published by the North East mayor for consultation. The prospectus focuses on issues including job creation, backing local talent - including encouraging more women to build careers in tech - and helping businesses adapt to new technology.