Media centre

Friday 26 Sep 2025

Rail Minister opens the inaugural meeting of the GBRX AI Advisory Council

Region & Route:

National

The inaugural meeting of GBRX's AI Advisory Council, setting out the Government's ambitions for artificial intelligence and its role on the railways, has been launched by Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy.

GBRX is the strategic innovation body for Britain's railway, and the inaugural meeting marks the beginning of shaping the AI Action Plan for Rail, which will play a crucial part in improving how the railway works for people and creating more sustainable, high-skilled jobs for the future.

The GBRX AI Advisory Council was established to bring expertise in safety, ethics, infrastructure, data, and people to enable the sector to advance the application of AI within a complex and safety-critical rail environment.

The all-women council, comprising renowned experts in their fields, reflects the depth of leadership and contribution that women are making to the advancement of AI. The members include:

• Dr Catriona Campbell MBE, a leading figure in AI adoption and human-centred design
• Dr Laura Gilbert CBE, Senior Director of AI, Tony Blair Institute; former Chief Analyst and Director of AI, No.10
• Professor Shannon Vallor, Baillie Gifford Chair in Ethics of Data and AI, University of Edinburgh; Director, Centre for Technomoral Futures
• Dr Neda Naghshbandi, Technical Lead for Intelligent Infrastructure, AtkinsRéalis
• Helen Milner OBE, Group Chief Executive, Good Things Foundation; Non-Executive Director, DSIT

Lord Peter Hendy, Rail Minister, said: "Artificial Intelligence is set to play a defining role in every aspect of our lives, and this Government, as part of its Plan for Change, is ensuring transport is at the forefront of this technological revolution - unlocking new opportunities for growth, supporting safety, and creating a network that works for everyone.

"It was a privilege to launch the inaugural GBRX AI Advisory Council, and I look forward to seeing this exceptional all-female team of experts break down barriers and help us address the biggest challenges ahead as we embrace this new era."

Toufic Machnouk, Managing Director, GBRX, said: "Artificial intelligence is the most consequential technology of our time. It will change our lives in more ways than we can understand now.

"With billions invested by technology companies, commoditised AI will become more prevalent, but the application of industrial AI, particularly in safety critical environments, is not inevitable and requires considered, strategic and purposeful action to advance its application and value. With a significant demographic transition ahead, this will play a major part in how we create more sustainable skills for the future."

GBRX is leading the AI Action Plan for Rail, which is due to be published later this year. The plan will set out and implement the actions and capabilities required for AI to be applied across the sector in safety-critical environments.