The United Kingdom will create a new AI research laboratory to improve AI systems in healthcare, science, transportation and everyday technology.
“AI is already doing things we could never have imagined just a few years ago, like helping to diagnose cancer. It can and will do even more. But if we want this technology to be a force for good, we need to make sure the next big AI breakthroughs are made in Britain,” said AI minister Kanishka Narayan.
“This is a long-term investment in the brilliant minds who will keep the UK in the AI fast lane. If we are the ones breaking new ground on what AI can do, we can make sure our values are baked in from the outset. This is a critical part of our mission to make AI work for everyone.”
The government intends for the Fundamental AI Research Lab to resolve longstanding problems with how AI works. These problems include hallucinations, unreliable memory and unpredictable reasoning. Addressing these issues could make AI more accurate and transparent.
Similarly, by rethinking how AI tools are built, rather than just scaling up existing systems, the project could help laboratories achieve earlier medical diagnoses, more resilient infrastructure and faster scientific discovery.
The next steps
A peer review panel is assessing proposal applications submitted by AI experts and research organisations. Raia Hadsell, AI ambassador for the department for science, innovation and technology is chairing the panel. Hadsell has worked for Google DeepMind since 2014 and is currently the company’s vice president of research.
“AI has the ability to solve humanity’s most complex problems, and fundamental research that helps this technology achieve its full potential is key,” said Hadsell. “The UK has the world-class talent and academic ecosystem to drive transformational research. I am excited to see the proposals that emerge from this call.”
The UK government is backing the project with £40m across six years. The project is in line with the UKRI AI Strategy, which was unveiled in February. Since the government took office in the UK, the AI sector has raised over £100b in private investment.
