The crown dependency aims to build on a scheme that has already delivered £2m in savings with the establishment of a new unit to operate across public services and industry

The Isle of Man Government has launched its new National AI Office with a million-pound war chest and a remit to create an island-wide approach to adopting new technology and then direct its rollout throughout the public and private sectors.

The new unit is intended to help the island – which is an autonomous crown dependency – to build on its existing Activate AI scheme which, according to the government, delivered efficiencies of £2m in 2025 through artificial intelligence initiatives. The National AI Office (NAIO) will unite in a single specialist team “existing functions and expertise”. The office will be overseen by Digital Isle of Man, which sits within Department for Enterprise and is dedicated to supporting the island’s tech sector.

NAIO “will be centred on advancing economic growth, improving public sector efficiency through AI-enabled services, and building AI literacy across society”, the government said. The unit has been given a to-do list of “six key deliverables” for its first year in operation.

The first of these is to work with the rest of government, as well as industry and civil society, to develop a national AI strategy, while the second is implement a cross-island AI literacy programme for citizens and businesses.

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The office’s next main objective is “accelerating practical AI adoption across the economy”, and it will also be tasked with “providing clear guidance for safe and responsible AI use”.

The penultimate goal for the coming months will be “driving AI-enabled improvement in public services”. The final specified deliverable is “supporting a future-ready workforce, through reskilling opportunities and expanded access to AI training and expertise”.  

The work of NAIO over the next year will be backed by £1m in government funding.

The Isle of Man government’s minister for enterprise Tim Johnston said:“The National AI Office is not about creating another organisation within government. It is about bringing together existing functions, resources, skills and expertise into a focused operating model that builds on strong foundations already in place. Digital Isle of Man has already delivered free AI training and AI solutions support to thousands of people through its Activate AI programme, and this is a natural next step, taking a more coordinated, strategic approach to harnessing AI for the benefit of our community, our economy and the way government operates.”