Wigan kitchen boss builds his own AI tool to cut business paperwork
A businessman from Wigan has completed an AI university course which left him with new skills, the ability to make his firm more efficient and a new techological confidence
A Wigan kitchen manufacturer has built his own AI-powered tool to help tackle the growing mountain of paperwork involved in running a business.
Alan Coleman, who runs family-owned Homestyle Kitchens, which makes bespoke kitchens and fitted furniture, has developed a working prototype designed to make managing business compliance easier.
After years of running an established manufacturing business, Alan was curious about artificial intelligence and whether it could help solve some of the everyday challenges he faced.
One particular headache was keeping on top of the growing volume of rules, requirements and documentation covering everything from health and safety to data protection.
So Alan signed up for the University of Salford's six-week BUILD AI programme, where he learned how to use AI to develop his own technology.
By the end of the programme, he had built a working prototype designed to bring compliance information together in one place, potentially making it easier to manage the paperwork involved in running the business.
The experience has also given Alan the confidence to explore how AI could help Homestyle Kitchens in other areas.
Alan said: “The biggest thing I've taken away from the programme isn't just the system I've built, it's the confidence that comes from knowing I can build practical tools that make a genuine difference to the business.
“I joined the programme curious about AI. I'm leaving with a working solution, new skills and a completely different view of what's possible.”
BUILD AI (Business Uplift, Innovation and Lean Development through Artificial Intelligence) programme combined practical AI development with business mentoring and support, helping participants turn their ideas into working technology in just six weeks.
Dr Ann Mulhaney, Associate Professor for Change Management at the University of Salford's Centre for Sustainable Innovation, said: “When we created BUILD AI, we wanted to open up AI development to people with brilliant ideas but who might never have thought of themselves as tech builders.
“These entrepreneurs know their businesses, their industries and the problems they want to solve inside out.
“What they haven't always had are the technical skills or resources to turn that knowledge into a product. We wanted to change that.”