AI for Services Podcast Episode 1: Overcoming the barriers to developing AI with Shamus Rae, founder of Engine B
AI for Services has launched a podcast series to share the personal stories of the founders who are leading the development of the awarded projects. In the first four episodes, Astrid Ayel interviews the Enabling Data Access Competition winners.
Self-confessed serial entrepreneur Shamus Rae shares his passion for data models and talks about the purpose that drives his company forward. Engine B, an innovation platform for the professional services sector, uses cutting edge technology to make data accessible so greater innovation can take place across industry both within traditional firms and new start-ups.
Shamus says: “Engine B is developing an Innovation platform using data models and knowledge graphs (a bit like mind maps) used by the likes of Google, Bing and Intelligence services – collecting and quickly analysing data from a number of sources and different areas.”
Shamus first got involved with UKRI at a three-day innovation lab and is developing his AI technology in collaboration with Birmingham University, Imperial College, Oxford Brooks and a university in Illinois. His biggest achievement in such a difficult year was working with partners in a collaborative way, helping Engine B to build and also being able to bring in talent from all over the country.
Shamus tells us that the professional services sector needs to move from selling people by the hour, to selling services that augment people support. Covid-19 has removed some traditional cultural and organisational barriers to progress, but he urges firms to maintain momentum as we come out of the pandemic.
Contact Shamus on shamus@engineb.com
Background
The Next Generation Services Programme is a £20 Million ISCF pioneer fund that supports the transformation of the accountancy, legal and insurance services sector with the use of Data and Artificial Intelligence. Forty projects have been awarded grant funding through this UKRI programme to pursue their ambition. AI for Services is the Innovation Network underpinning the programme.