Universities across the UK are set to benefit from a substantial £54 million investment in their work to develop cutting edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology, Technology Secretary Chloe Smith announced today.
Delivered through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), £31 million of the funding will be used to back ground-breaking research at the University of Southampton to establish responsible and trustworthy AI, bringing together the expertise of academia, business, and the wider public to explore how responsible AI can be developed and utilised, while considering its broader impact on wider society.
The Technology Secretary unveiled the package in a keynote speech at London Tech Week, advancing efforts to secure the UK’s position as a science and tech superpower, fuel economic growth and create better paid jobs. The Tech Secretary also announced the launch of the UK Geospatial Strategy 2030, which will unlock billions of pounds in economic benefits through harnessing technologies including AI, satellite imaging and real-time data.
Commenting, Mims Davies MP, said:
Despite our size as a small island nation, the UK is a technology powerhouse. Last year, the UK became just the third country in the world to have a tech sector valued at $1 trillion. It is the biggest in Europe by some distance and behind only the US and China globally.
The technology landscape, though, is constantly evolving, and we need a tech ecosystem which can respond to those shifting sands, harness its opportunities, and address emerging challenges. The measures unveiled today will do exactly that.
We’re investing in our AI talent pipeline with a £54 million package to develop trustworthy and secure artificial intelligence, and putting our best foot forward as a global leader in tech both now, and in the years to come.
AI developments present enormous opportunities in almost every aspect of modern life, particularly in addressing climate change challenges and pursuing net zero targets. As part of this investment, the remaining £13 million will be used to fund 13 projects based at universities across the UK to develop pioneering AI innovations in sustainable land management, efficient CO2 capture, and improved resilience against natural hazards.
The commitments follow the announcement in March of £117 million funding for Centres for Doctoral Training in AI, with a further £46 million to support Turing AI Fellowships to develop the next generation of top AI talent.