AI Strategy for Scotland 2026-2031: A roadmap for the future

The Scottish government published its AI Strategy for Scotland 2026-2031 in March. It sets out how artificial intelligence (AI) will be used to support responsible, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, while improving public services and protecting public trust. The strategy recognises both the opportunities and the risks that AI brings, and the need for strong governance based on Scottish values, Fair Work principles and international best practice.

The core purpose of the AI Strategy for Scotland is to ensure AI delivers tangible benefits for people, communities, businesses, and public services by 2031, while safeguarding fairness, transparency, environmental sustainability and human rights.

Scotland's strengths and opportunities

The strategy highlights to Scotland’s long history of leadership in science and its contemporary global influence in AI research and ethics. It notes that a lot of Scotland’s AI expertise is based in the Central Belt, where research-focused universities have established technology hubs and strong digital infrastructure. This includes:

• University of Edinburgh, home to ARCHER2, the UK’s national supercomputer, and host of the new UK National Supercomputing Centre.
• Heriot-Watt University, which hosts the National Robotarium.
• University of Glasgow, leading a UK-wide project to develop the first open-source AI harm auditing tool to help identify risks such as bias.
• University of Strathclyde, home to the Socially Progressive AI Lab.

Other parts of Scotland, including Aberdeen, Dundee, the Highlands, and the South of Scotland bring sector-specific strengths such as energy, health, creative industries, rural applications and responsible AI.

Scotland’s renewable energy capacity is also identified as a key enabler. Given AI’s energy intensity, sustainability is a major concern. Scotland’s leadership in onshore and offshore wind, wave and tidal power provides a strong basis for green, low-carbon AI infrastructure. However, targeted action is needed to make sure AI develops in a sustainable, inclusive and environmentally responsible way.

How the strategy will be delivered

Delivery will be coordinated through AI Scotland, a new national transformation programme, led by the Scottish government in partnership with organisations such as The Data Lab, ScotlandIS and enterprise agencies.

AI Scotland will bring together government, academia, industry, and the third sector, supported by an independent Expert Advisory Board. The board will provide strategic advice, evaluate progress and guide the development of future programmes and interventions. Membership will include AI champions from key sectors and regions, alongside business leaders and technical experts.

The programme will also develop a comprehensive business case that sets out the preferred long-term organisational model for AI Scotland. Potential models under consideration include a cluster management organisation (CMO) or a non-profit company (NPC).

Priority outcomes

Delivery is organised around four main outcome areas:

1. People and skills

Widespread AI literacy, public trust and confidence, and a skilled, adaptable workforce supported by accessible learning pathways.

2. Companies and innovation

A strong AI ecosystem that builds on research leadership, supports cross-sector innovation and collaboration, and grows a pipeline of start-ups and scale-ups in national and international markets.

3. Infrastructure

Investment in Scotland's data centres, energy and water infrastructure to support innovative and trusted public service delivery.

4. Data and regulation

Collective data stewardship and data sharing, alongside safe, accessible use of data, and best practice in responsible AI governance aligned with OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) principles.

The aim is to achieve these outcomes by 2031, with clear milestones to track progress along the way.

What happens first

The aim is to have the following ten key actions completed by the end of March 2027:

1. Position AI Scotland as the national flagship programme for strategy delivery and showcase Scotland’s AI strengths on the global stage.
2. Appoint AI Industry Champions across priority sectors and regions, who will report to an independent Expert Advisory Board.
3. Launch a nationwide engagement programme to listen to concerns and develop solutions that ensure public trust and confidence.
4. Establish a trusted framework for safe, ethical and efficient use of AI across health and social care services.
5. Roll out a revitalised national AI adoption programme to accelerate SME productivity and competitiveness, including a new AI Leadership Academy.
6. Create a Future Jobs Panel to assess AI’s workforce impact and guide national skills planning.
7. Pilot an AI Scale-up Accelerator, connecting high-growth companies with experienced entrepreneurs and investment networks.
8. Launch an innovation programme that applies commercial and research expertise in AI to the delivery of public services.
9. Work with partners to promote Scotland as a centre for green data centre(s) and maximise the economic potential of the Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone.
10. Launch a data matchmaking pilot enabling organisations to access trusted public-sector datasets, to support data-driven innovation.

The AI stack

To support delivery, the Scottish government has adopted what it calls 'the AI Stack' - a non-hierarchical model made up of eight interdependent layers:

1. Users
2. AI adoption and skills
3. Companies and products
4. Innovation, research and development
5. Data centres and infrastructure
6. Semiconductors
7. Data
8. Regulation

Data and regulation encircle all other layers, emphasising their foundational role. The model is intended to allow policy to evolve as technology changes while maintaining coherence across the AI ecosystem.

To ensure the AI Action Plan can evolve as technology develops, the strategy will be delivered in three phases. The current document outlines the actions for phase one, with further updates planned for phase 2 in 2027, and phase 3 in 2029.

Key intended outcomes by layer

Users

• Informed citizens (people in Scotland understand where and how AI is used in the services they encounter, what it can and can’t do, and how it may influence decisions).
• Inclusive AI literacy.
• Prepared young people.
• Trusted use of AI in public services.

Adoptionand skills

• Effective AI adoption by businesses and organisations.
• Workforce has the necessary skills.
• Skills aligned to strategic national and regional needs.
• AI responsibly and successfully adopted in public services.

Companies and products

• Globally competitive AI sector.
• Global investment (companies can attract investment).
• Responsible innovation.
• Access to infrastructure (world-class computer and digital infrastructure).

Innovation, research and development

• World-leading research.
• Research with commercial impact.
• Cluster development (high-value clusters linked to AI growth and are globally recognised).
• Public sector-driven innovation.

Data centres and infrastructure

• Globally competitive investment landscape (AI infrastructure is treated as critical national infrastructure, attracting sustainable data centre investment and highlighting the Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone as a flagship project).
• Connectivity (green data centres have timely access to renewable power and the grid infrastructure).
• Benefits realised.
• Resilient infrastructure.

Semiconductors

• Cluster growth.
• Start-up and spin-out support.
• Inward investment.
• Research leadership.

Data

• Public sector data (improved data sharing, standardised access, modernised infrastructure, and data matchmaking pilot launched to enable responsible reuse for innovation. Data is framed as a public asset whose value should return to public services.)
• Data assets.
• Public sector AI.
• Public data access.

Regulation

• A principles-based regulatory approach, aligned with OECD principles and international best practice.
• A clear regulatory framework in which businesses and end equivalent organisations can operate.
• Access to markets (regulation is aligned with key markets).
• International engagement (while most AI regulation is reserved to the UK, Scotland intends to influence UK policy, advocate statutory recognition of OECD principles, and pursue alignment with the EU AI Act where beneficial for market access. Regulatory sandboxes are highlighted as tools for safe experimentation.)

Risks and mitigations

The strategy openly acknowledges risks, including privacy breaches, workforce disruption, environmental impacts, gender inequality, and infrastructure dependency.

Mitigations include strong data governance, skills investment, renewable-powered infrastructure, Fair Work alignment, and early-stage impact assessments covering equality, human rights, and sustainability.

What this means for Scotland

The AI Strategy for Scotland 2026–2031 sets out a clear roadmap for embedding AI across the economy and public services.

Its defining features are a strong emphasis on responsibility, a systems-level delivery model, and the positioning of sustainability, trust, and inclusion as core enablers of competitiveness.

If successfully delivered, the strategy aims to secure Scotland’s place as a global leader in ethical, green and economically transformative AI by 2031.