RECENTLY the tech world was stunned by the sudden emergence of a new artificial intelligence app made in China.

DeepSeek is purported to have been created at a fraction of the cost of the established players in the AI field so far, and the revelations about its capabilities saw billions wiped off US tech company stocks.

For most of us AI right now is still only something we hear about, but rarely something which we use much ourselves.

Some of us might use Siri on our phones, or have an Alexa, but these things have not significantly changed how we do things.

With more recent innovations, such as ChatGPT, we are gradually beginning to see what these types of technology can do – which is already proving a nightmare for some schools and universities who find students are handing in essays written by an app.

AI has the potential to completely transform our economy, how we do business, how we live our lives.

But as with many of the technologies which drove the industrial revolution, the initial invention can take a long time to be adopted widely, and it is through further refinements that things eventually become practical and mainstream.

This occurred to me when I paid a visit recently to a local community bookshop, the Bookery in Crediton.

The staff there were explaining how their work is not really helped at all by the AI tools which have been developed so far.

It will only be when AI has reached the stage that it can reach into every corner of our economy and society that it will have reached its true transformative potential, whether that is a school, a hospital, an advanced manufacturing plant, or a rural community bookshop.

I saw some of what it can achieve when I was Secretary of State at the Department for Work and Pensions.

A technology called “White Mail” is being used by the DWP to quickly analyse the tens of thousands of pieces of correspondence they receive each day and identify people who may potentially be vulnerable or in need of urgent support.

We were also trialling an AI tool called A-cubed which could be used in jobcentre appointments to help work coaches decide on the best ways to support people into jobs.

AI in cameras is even being rolled out on some Devon roads to reduce accidents.

I hope we will gradually see more and more of this across our public services and the private sector.

It could be one of the crucial ingredients in making government and councils more efficient, freeing up resources for better services. And it could open up new possibilities for local businesses here in Devon. It will take time, but those who seize the opportunities when they materialise may well be richly rewarded.

The UK is a world leader in AI. We need to make sure everyone, in all parts of the country, can benefit from that advantage.

If we do not, we risk being left behind.

Mel Stride

MP for Central Devon