Derry and Strabane’s AI business base is growing. The latest Artificial Intelligence Capability Census identifies 31 firms in the district, compared with eight in the 2025 baseline. Its share of Northern Ireland’s identified AI firms has roughly doubled, from 4% to 8%, making it the largest cluster outside Belfast.

For the North West, this is an encouraging development. It points to more businesses developing AI products, delivering services or embedding the technology in their operations.

The figures need some care, however. They include established businesses that have developed or demonstrated AI capabilities since the previous study. They do not mean that 23 new companies have been created locally.

Commissioned by the Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Centre (AICC) and prepared by Perspective Economics, the census identifies 400 firms across Northern Ireland, supporting an estimated 2,402 AI-related full-time equivalent roles and generating £214 million in gross value added.

Much of that activity sits within established software businesses, consultancies and financial services firms. These businesses are applying AI to customer needs, integrating it into existing systems and developing services around it.

That matters because the opportunity extends across the economy. A manufacturer might use AI to identify faults earlier. A food business could improve traceability and compliance. A professional services firm might reduce repetitive administration, allowing staff to spend more time supporting clients.

The challenge is turning access to technology into practical business improvements.

The census’s analysis of an Office for National Statistics survey found that approximately 39% of Northern Ireland respondents reported using at least one AI technology, compared with 41% across the UK. Around 45% reported no use.

These findings come from a relatively small regional sample and should be treated cautiously. Nevertheless, they suggest that growth among businesses supplying AI is running ahead of adoption across the wider business community.

For members, the useful starting point is a specific problem: a process that takes too long, information that is difficult to retrieve, or a recurring task that absorbs staff time. Assessing whether AI can help then requires suitable data, staff training, clear responsibilities and a way to measure the result.

AICC, led by Ulster University in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast, provides an important point of contact for businesses exploring that next step.

There is also a wider opportunity in supplying the infrastructure behind AI. The census highlights Seagate’s investment at Springtown and demand for power, cooling, storage and networking equipment. These activities connect manufacturing and engineering businesses to global AI investment.

Yet regional differences remain substantial. Belfast still accounts for 87% of Northern Ireland’s estimated AI employment. Derry and Strabane’s stronger firm count is welcome, but the 2026 report does not provide a district employment figure to compare with the 40 AI-related roles estimated in the baseline.

For the Chamber, this strengthens the case for accessible business support, relevant skills provision and closer connections between local suppliers and potential customers.

The North West has a growing foothold in Northern Ireland’s AI economy. The task now is to help that translate into stronger businesses, productive investment and more opportunities for people across the region.

Read the full report here: Artificial Intelligence Capability Census (2026)