On Friday the 20th March, the Scottish Government hosted an event at the Edinburgh Futures Institute to launch Scotland’s new AI Strategy. Supported by The Data Lab and Quantum Communications, the event brought together over 180 members of the thriving Scottish AI ecosystem, including universities and colleges, as well as many key decision-makers from Scottish […]
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Announcing the Winners of the The Data Lab Community’s Data Visualisation Competition
Celebrating creativity, insight, and storytelling through data. Now in its second year, The Data Lab Community’s Data Visualisation Competition is an opportunity to come together to celebrate storytelling through data. The competition provides a platform for data visualisers of all levels to hone their skills, demonstrate their abilities, and raise their profile to a global audience of data & AI professionals, students and enthusiasts. The […]
Stepping into 2026 – Reflections from our January Predictions Meet-up
January’s Predictions meet-up marked a personal milestone for me – it was my first Data Lab Community event as the new Chair. While I’ve been a member of the Community for years, this was my first opportunity to introduce myself in this new role – and to do so in front of 300+ registered attendees, […]
Converge innovation challenge opens for applications
Converge is on the hunt for the next generation of academic innovators looking to transform their world-class research and innovation into impactful businesses. Applications are now open for the prestigious programme, which combines expert-led business training with a competitive edge. Converge Challenge Sector-specific prizes boosting business There are a range of challenges to apply for, […]
Marketing in the Age of AI
Breaking Through the Noise Every day, people are exposed to thousands of messages across all of their screens, apps, emails, and social media platforms. In this crowded digital space, organisations face a growing challenge: breaking through the noise with communications that reach the right people, with the right message, at the right moment. From personalising […]
Exploring the case for a Scotland-wide Artificial Intelligence Cluster
The Data Lab has been commissioned by Scottish Enterprise, in partnership with Optimat, to explore the potential for a Scotland-wide Artificial Intelligence (AI) cluster. The work forms part of the Scottish Government’s Innovation Strategy and the development of the emerging Scottish Cluster Scheme, which aims to strengthen collaboration and accelerate innovation across key technologies and sectors. Artificial Intelligence is already […]
Response to the Scottish Budget 2026 to 2027
The Data Lab, Scotland’s Innovation Centre for Data and AI, welcomes the announcements in the budget on the increase in funding for the college sector and universities, investment in innovation, enterprise and entrepreneurship, employability and skills development and a further £125m investment in City Region Deals. Heather Thomson, CEO of The Data Lab, said, “The […]
Reflections on 2025: A Data Scientist Dives into Mainframe (and lives to tell the tale)
In this guest blog, we’re joined by Sarah Burne James, Client Adoption Specialist (Z Software) at IBM, who brings a fresh, fun perspective to the world of mainframes—complete with misconceptions, “aha!” moments, and a lot of cool tech. *record scratch* *freeze frame* Yep, that’s me. You’re probably wondering how I got here. You know that […]
The Data Lab appoints Nic Granger OBE as governance board chair
Scotland’s innovation centre for data and AI, The Data Lab, has today announced that Nic Granger OBE will assume the role of chair. Granger joins the centre as it continues to drive innovation, promote collaboration across sectors and industries, support skills development, and champion Scotland’s data and AI ecosystem by fostering community. Having worked internationally and in the UK across various sectors, in her executive role as […]
The Data Lab Community themes announced for 2026
Exploring trends in data and AI The Data Lab’s online community, comprising over 7,500 members from more than 100 countries, has today announced its monthly themes for 2026. From Open Data to Creative Industries, the monthly themes explore key trends and developments across sectors in data and AI, helping to shape events, discussions and content […]