New research reveals that the UK robotics and autonomous systems industry is worth £32 billion and employs over 90,000 people.
The study was conducted by the Department of Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT) using The Data City’s platform. The Data City is a data services company that has developed an alternative to SIC codes that provides a real-time view of an emerging sector.
The robotics and AI sectors present significant economic opportunities for the UK. The global market is projected to reach $383 billion by 2032*. Increased robotics adoption could generate £6.4 billion for the UK economy by 2035** and AI over £200 billion for the UK economy by 2030***.
Automation enables increased productivity, quality control, and reduced operating costs. It also allows manufacturers to focus on higher-value work and innovation. It can address labour shortages in key sectors, including social care, farming, and logistics.
Commenting on the study, Paul Connell, a founder of The Data City, said: “The robotics and autonomous systems sector presents a significant opportunity for the UK to drive economic growth, boost industrial competitiveness, and foster innovation. While there is work to be done to catch up in certain areas, with the right investments and strategic policies, the potential for advancement in robotics is immense. As the global demand for automation and intelligent systems continues to rise, the importance of this sector is set to expand dramatically in the years ahead.
“This study provides a detailed analysis of the industry and helps to lay the foundation for future investment and development.”
The robotics and autonomous systems RTIC covers 30 verticals, ranging from agriculture to infrastructure and transport. It comprises around 2,350 companies from across the UK, with a total turnover of £32 billion and employing over 90,000 people. The RTIC enables companies across a diverse range of capabilities, applications, and sectors to be identified.
Self-driving vehicle pioneer Wayve is one of the companies included in the report. Its autonomous driving software uses AI that learns from real-world driving experiences. Unlike traditional systems, it does not require pre-mapped surroundings, immense computational power or novel hardware and is adaptable to any vehicle. The company has partnerships with vehicle manufacturers in the UK and overseas, and has raised over £1bn in investment for its mission to deliver safer driving.
The Data City’s Real Time Industry Classification (RTIC) methodology provides real-time company data on emerging economic sectors. It uses AI technology to gather data from various sources, including open data sets and company financials. The platform, which comprises a database of over 5.3 million UK companies and over 400 RTICS, is designed to help users make discoveries quickly and easily.
