The Liverpool City Region has appointed Tiffany St James as its first chief artificial intelligence officer, a move the Combined Authority frames as central to becoming a global leader in Artificial Intelligence for Good. Described as the United Kingdom’s first role of its kind in regional government, St James will lead a new taskforce to ensure the ethical deployment of Artificial Intelligence across the city region. The position aligns with mayor Steve Rotheram’s vision to put the Liverpool City Region at the forefront of the United Kingdom’s Artificial Intelligence revolution and follows a year in which Kyndryl announced an Artificial Intelligence hub in the region expected to create up to 1,000 jobs.
St James will outline her plans at next month’s Liverpool City Region Artificial Intelligence Summit, which is set to bring together global industry and academic leaders, researchers and innovative local firms. Her brief spans transformational projects across health, transport and education, with a focus on ethical, inclusive and forward-thinking Artificial Intelligence. “This role offers a unique opportunity in public sector innovation to shape how ethical Artificial Intelligence transforms lives, from education to healthcare,” she said, adding that she plans to collaborate with local councils, the wider public sector, regional talent and partners at home and abroad to co-create impactful solutions.
The Combined Authority positions the chief Artificial Intelligence officer as a key role in shaping the region’s digital future. Beyond setting strategy, the remit includes convening stakeholders and embedding safeguards so that Artificial Intelligence becomes a force for good across public services and the wider economy. The announcement underscores the region’s intent to convert momentum from recent investments and events into long-term capability and outcomes.
An award-winning digital leader, St James sits on the Global Artificial Intelligence Council and has worked alongside Sir Tim Berners-Lee, creator of the World Wide Web. She served as the government’s first head of public participation in the cabinet office, then co-founded Transmute, a digital transformation consultancy, working with organisations including the BBC, Channel 4 and Google. She has been named in the Tech City100, is a TED speaker, advises the Greater London Authority and supports Artificial Intelligence and digital strategies across government bodies. Her early work included leading the creation of Data.gov.uk with Sir Tim Berners-Lee.
