£60m investment backs next generation of UK AI research
SES universities will play a leading role in two new artificial intelligence research laboratories backed by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The investment is part of a £60 million commitment to the future of AI research. It will help attract researchers, create new opportunities for PhD students, and support the continued growth of the UK’s AI sector.
The investment complements the Government’s new AI Strategy. Over £1.6 billion of UKRI funding will be directly targeted at the AI sector. The six priority areas are:
- technology development and future foundations
- AI transforming research
- developing AI skills and talent
- accelerating innovation and adoption for economic growth and societal benefit
- championing responsible and trustworthy AI
- building world-class AI-enabling data and infrastructure
Over the next four years, the plan is to firmly cement the UK as a global leader in artificial intelligence. The strategy aims to accelerate AI development and adoption, driving innovation, skills growth and long-term economic success.
The UKRI note in their strategy framework:
“Our vision is a future where the UK develops and fully harnesses the power of AI to drive economic growth, improve lives and livelihoods, and tackle major global and societal challenges.”
Foreword by Charlotte Deane, EPSRC Executive Chair and Senior Responsible Owner for the UKRI AI Programme.
SOFAIR Lab
University College London (UCL) will host and lead the new Science of Fundamental AI Research (SOFAIR) Lab. The lab wants to create the next generation of AI. It will unite researchers from UCL, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge and Edinburgh. Most AI systems currently need huge amounts of data and computing power. The aim is to find ways of building AI that is easier to use and more affordable to develop. The researchers also want it to be less reliant on a small number of big tech companies.
Led by Professor David Barber (UCL Computer Science), SOFAIR will investigate alternatives to the approaches that underpin many current AI systems.
Researchers from a range of disciplines will collaborate to tackle some of the most exciting challenges in AI. The programme will recruit PhD students and postdoctoral researchers who will work alongside leading experts and contribute to the development of future AI technologies.
The BOLD Lab
The University of Oxford will lead the British Open-ended Learning and Discovery (BOLD) Lab, bringing together researchers from Oxford, UCL and Imperial College London.
Led by Professor Jakob Foerster, the lab will explore AI systems that can learn more effectively and adapt when situations change.
The focus is on developing practical AI technologies that can move beyond the research lab. These technologies could support applications across workplaces, infrastructure and public services.
Similarly to SOFAIR, the team hopes to develop AI systems that are more widely useful and that use less computing power.
Bringing together expertise
The two laboratories place SES universities at the centre of a major AI national effort. Together, these two labs will help develop future AI technologies. The teams bring expertise from disciplines including computer science, mathematics, statistics, engineering and neuroscience.
Alongside advancing fundamental AI research, the laboratories will work with industry and public sector partners. Working collaboratively, they will help move new technologies from the lab to into real world use.
The work will support innovation in healthcare, education, public services and advanced manufacturing. The work will also help strengthen the UK’s AI ecosystem by attracting investment and developing the skilled workforce needed for future growth.
Photo credit: Connie Schneider, Unsplash
Find Out More
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