A trailblazing digital leader has been appointed to spearhead Liverpool City Region’s ambitious plans to be a global leader in AI for Good.
Tiffany St James becomes the UK’s first Chief AI Officer in regional government and will lead a new taskforce to oversee an ethical transformation of artificial intelligence into a force for good in the city region.
An award-winning digital leader with extensive experience in industry and national and local government, Tiffany sits on the Global AI Council and has worked alongside Sir Tim Berners-Lee, creator of the World Wide Web.
The appointment is part of Mayor Steve Rotheram’s bold vision to put the Liverpool City Region at the forefront the UK’s AI revolution. It comes in a year that has already seen US tech giant Kyndryl create an AI hub in the Liverpool City Region that will create up to 1,000 jobs.
Tiffany will set out her plans at next month’s Liverpool City Region AI Summit – a gathering of global industry and academic leaders, cutting-edge researchers and innovative local firms.
Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said:
“With the recent announcement of billions of pounds of investment into AI in the UK, this is a massive opportunity for the Liverpool City Region to cement our place at the forefront of the country’s AI revolution.
“Artificial Intelligence has the potential to be one of the defining technologies of our age – but only if it’s harnessed in the right way. That’s why we’re putting a clear focus on using it as a force for good – to improve public services, support our communities, and grow our economy.
“Tiffany brings a wealth of experience, from working with global tech leaders to shaping national digital strategies, and she’s exactly the kind of trailblazer we need to lead this work. Her appointment as our first Chief AI Officer shows the scale of our ambition – and I’m confident she’ll help us set the standard for how regions across the world can put AI to work for the benefit of their people.”
The Combined Authority’s first Chief AI Officer is a key new role aimed at shaping the region’s digital future.
The brief is to lead transformational work across sectors including health, transport and education, with an emphasis on ethical, inclusive and forward-thinking AI.
Tiffany was appointed following a rigorous and competitive national recruitment process.
As the government’s first Head of Public Participation, she was the strategic lead in the cabinet office across departments, going on to co-found Transmute, a digital transformation consultancy, working with organisations including the BBC, Channel 4 and Google.
One of the inaugural Tech City100 and a TED speaker, she advises the Greater London Authority and supports the development of AI and digital strategies across government bodies.
She was named one of the 25 women to have shaped the British digital industry over the past 25 years by media magazine The Drum, and in the top 100 women role models in tech by Business Cloud. Her early work included leading the creation of DATA.GOV.UK with Sir Tim Berners-Lee.
Tiffany said:
“I’m thrilled to join the Liverpool City Region – a place with bold ambition and heart. This role offers a unique opportunity in public sector innovation to shape how ethical AI transforms lives, from education to healthcare. I’m excited to collaborate with local councils and the wider public sector, regional talent, and innovative partners at home and abroad to co-create impactful AI solutions that improve lives and help set a global blueprint for regional AI delivery.”