New figures highlight the growing contribution of computing professionals, digital services and technology investment to the UK's fastest growth in more than two years.
New figures showing the UK economy grew by 0.7% between July and September, its fastest quarterly growth rate in more than two years, have highlighted the growing contribution of computing and digital technologies to economic performance.
The latest data shows that the services sector, which accounts for the majority of UK economic activity, grew by 0.9% over the quarter. Among the strongest performing areas was information and communication services, driven largely by growth in computer programming, consultancy and related activities, which expanded by 4.4%.
How are tech professionals contributing?
The sector's contribution was particularly significant. Computer programming and consultancy was the largest contributor to UK GDP growth in each of the past seven months, contributing 0.15 percentage points to overall GDP growth during the quarter. Put another way, around one-fifth of all economic growth recorded between July and September came from this single industry.
The figures provide further evidence of the economic importance of digital technologies and continued investment in areas such as cloud computing, AI and digital transformation. As organisations look to improve efficiency, resilience and competitiveness, demand for digital expertise continues to grow.
BCS has previously highlighted the importance of developing a skilled and trusted AI workforce in its report, Delivering on the AI Opportunities Action Plan: creating the UK's AI profession, which argues that digital skills, professional standards and responsible innovation will be critical to maintaining the UK's competitiveness.
Behind these results are thousands of computing professionals helping organisations translate technology investment into practical outcomes. Software engineers, data scientists, cyber security specialists, business analysts and AI practitioners are developing and governing technologies that support innovation across the economy.
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What do the figures tell us about the future?
However, the latest figures also raise important questions about the nature of technology-driven growth. While investment in AI and digital technologies is clearly supporting activity across the sector, it is not yet possible to say how much of that growth reflects productivity gains generated by AI, rather than investment in technology itself.
As businesses continue to adopt AI, the long-term opportunity lies not simply in increased spending on technology, but in achieving sustainable improvements in productivity, services and outcomes. For BCS, responsible adoption, professional standards and public trust will be critical to ensuring the benefits of AI are realised over the long term. Examples of how organisations are approaching this challenge can be found in Transformative AI: case studies and lessons learned.
The growing importance of digital professionals
For BCS, the figures provide welcome recognition of the value that computing professionals bring to society and the economy.
BCS CEO Sharron Gunn said:
‘These figures reflect the growing importance of digital skills, computing expertise and responsible innovation across every sector of the economy. From software developers and data specialists to cyber security professionals, digital leaders and AI experts, computing professionals are helping organisations become more productive, competitive and resilient.
‘While economic growth is always driven by many factors, it is encouraging to see the contribution that technology and AI-enabled innovation are making. BCS members can be proud of the role they play in helping businesses and public services realise the benefits of digital transformation in a way that delivers value for society.
‘As AI adoption accelerates, the need for skilled, ethical and professionally competent practitioners will only increase. Ensuring the UK has the digital capability to innovate with confidence will be essential to sustaining growth and improving lives in the years ahead.’
For BCS members across the UK, today's figures are an encouraging indication that the work of the computing profession is helping organisations succeed, supporting economic growth and delivering tangible benefits for society.
