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February 3, 2026, 4:24 AM EST. Barnsley has rebranded again, this time as Britain's first tech town, part of Labour's AI drive. The government says the South Yorkshire city will test AI across local services, with four US tech companies - Microsoft, Google, Cisco and Adobe - helping to apply AI in schools, hospitals, GPs and business. The council says the area, home to about 250,000 people, adopted AI faster than many peers, using assistants in adult social care and children's services, and even scanning potholes with digitised bin lorries. Evri, which runs a major hub there, is trialling robot dogs for deliveries. Some local voices warn the rebranding could feel a leap, underscoring unease about AI. Officials cite free AI training for residents, support for firms, and pilots to boost pupil results and teacher workloads, while questions linger about the companies' role and funding.