US-based IT infrastructure services provider, Kyndryl, has officially unveiled its new AI Innovation Lab in Liverpool’s iconic Royal Liver Building. The ambitious project is expected to generate up to 1,000 software engineering and AI-related roles in the city within the next three years.
The state-of-the-art facility already employs 100 staff, with an additional 100 individuals scheduled to join the team next week. John Chambers, Kyndryl UK & Ireland president, aims to quadruple its workforce in Liverpool by the end of this year.
Speaking at the official opening event, Mr Chambers expressed his enthusiasm for the location, stating: “We couldn’t be in a better location. We are so pleased to find these premises, they are so iconic. They have resonated with organisations we have talked to. Everyone is eager to come here. People in London want to get out of London to come here. The response in Ireland has been great. Australia and the Middle East really want to come and see it. It is beyond our expectations.”
The recently refurbished site boasts cutting-edge facilities and will serve customers from across the UK and internationally, offering advisory and co-creation services led by Kyndryl Consult.
A team comprising AI and software engineering specialists, alongside degree apprentices, will advise businesses on the adoption and implementation of AI, emerging technologies, and software and platform engineering solutions.
The lab will also house a Kyndryl Vital Studio, overseen by Kyndryl Consult, enabling customers to tackle complex, real-world business challenges through designer-led, open collaboration and co-creation.
Coinciding with the hub’s launch, Kyndryl is expanding its partnership with The Very Group, the Liverpool-based operator of digital retailers Very and Littlewoods, through a new multi-year agreement focused on enhancing and accelerating the retailer’s end-to-end digital capabilities.
Kyndryl will provide comprehensive software and platform engineering support, assisting The Very Group in launching new products swiftly and improving the digital customer experience.
Mr Chambers lauded the potential of the local workforce, saying: “We’re so impressed with the talent we have found locally. Liverpool’s reputation as a growing tech hub made it a really easy decision to come here. Our investment here is just the beginning.”
The new Kyndryl AI Innovation Lab Liverpool will leverage Kyndryl’s infrastructure expertise by supporting companies in integrating mission-critical operations via business applications, utilising global partnerships to accelerate AI and digital transformations.
Kyndryl stated that its investment in Liverpool underscores the business’s commitment to fostering innovation, developing the next generation of digital leaders through rigorous training and skills development initiatives, and aligning with the UK Government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, which aims to position the UK as a global leader in AI.
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