Today, the Secretary of State (SoS) for Science, Innovation and Technology, Michelle Donelan, announced £19 million for 21 projects to accelerate the adoption of trustworthy and responsible AI and machine learning.
Funded projects
These 21 projects have been successful in securing funding from phase two of the ‘Accelerating trustworthy AI’ funding opportunity. This builds on the success of phase one announced by SoS during London Tech Week last year as part of the £54m to develop secure AI that can help solve major challenges.
Projects include everything from increasing trust and confidence in large language models for customer service and commercial applications, to using AI to improve safety and efficiency of logistics and transport operations. As well as accelerating trustworthy AI for use in medical imaging, radiology and clinical settings.
UKRI Technology Missions Fund
Projects are funded through the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Technology Missions Fund to secure the UK’s global leadership in emerging and future AI technologies.
Funding will support over 116 businesses and research organisations from across the UK to develop innovative trusted and responsible AI and machine learning solutions to accelerate deployment of these technologies and drive productivity.
Innovate UK BridgeAI support
On top of the monetary support, these projects are delivered through the Innovate UK BridgeAI programme, providing an additional suite of offerings.
Support includes access to training and scientific expertise, expert AI advice and guidance, and helps businesses adopt AI technologies through collaboration with developers.
This wrap around support helps businesses to stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly competitive marketplace, ensuring the UK remains a world-leader in AI technologies.
Novel solutions
Dr Kedar Pandya, UKRI Technology Missions Fund Senior Responsible Owner and Executive Director of Cross-Council Programmes at the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council said:
These projects we are funding through the UKRI Technology Missions Fund will help to accelerate the adoption of responsible AI across the economy.
Bringing together SMEs, large organisations and research organisations, these novel solutions will demonstrate how trusted AI and machine learning technologies can aid and be incorporated into many of the UK’s industries and sectors.
Strengthening UK AI leadership
This announcement forms part of a wider UKRI £100 million boost in AI research to propel transformative innovations.
This comes on the same day that the government has published its AI regulation white paper consultation response, which carves out the UK’s own approach to regulation. This will ensure the UK can quickly adapt to emerging issues and avoid placing burdens on business which could stifle innovation.
An agile, sector-specific approach
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Michelle Donelan said:
The UK’s innovative approach to AI regulation has made us a world leader in both AI safety and AI development.
I am personally driven by AI’s potential to transform our public services and the economy for the better – leading to new treatments for cruel diseases like cancer and dementia, and opening the door to advanced skills and technology that will power the British economy of the future.
AI is moving fast, but we have shown that humans can move just as fast. By taking an agile, sector-specific approach, we have begun to grip the risks immediately, which in turn is paving the way for the UK to become one of the first countries in the world to reap the benefits of AI safely.
Further information
Projects
The full list of projects are:
- Etiq AI Limited, A software solution for trustworthy AI
- Habitat Learn Limited, DeepMyna phase two
- nquiringminds Limited, Trusted AI Bill of Materials
- Visualist Technologies Limited, Explainable AI: a creative copilot for interior designers
- Algomo Limited, Addressing hallucinations in generative AI for customer service applications
- Glideology Limited, TRAMS-Enterprise, trustworthy, responsible AI and machine learning (ML) for construction, secure and enterprise ready
- Robok Limited, Proactive AI-powered solutions for logistics efficiency, transparency and safety
- AI for Global Goals Limited, Elandi: trustworthy generative AI for affordable personalised learning and development: phase two
- The Data Analysis Bureau Lmited, Safety advancing federated estimation of risk using AI
- Block Dox Limited, TRUST2: improving TRUST in AI and ML for critical building management
- RAIQC Lmited, Developing tools for pre-market evaluation and post-market surveillance of medical imaging AI
- Holistic AI Limited, Accelerating trustworthy AI: developing a first-to-market AI system risk management platform for insurance product creation
- Wyser Limited, Industrial research into ASR bias’
- Eolas Insight Lmited, Trustable AI generated mapping: phase two
- Stratiphy Limited, Stratlib.AI: a trusted ML platform for asset and credit managers
- Aival, Accelerating trustworthy AI in radiology: scalable software for clinical users to independently validate commercial products at local sites
- Thema AI Limited, Thema AI
- Advanced Infrastructure Technology Limted, Trustworthy ML approaches to energy consumption data
- Direk Limted, D-Xpert: AI-based recommender system for smart energy saving
- All Street Research Limited, ASIMOV: AI-as-a-Service
- Newton’s Tree Limited, Federated AI monitoring service
Top image: Credit: Laurence Dutton, E+ via Getty Images