In a significant move to bolster the UK's position in the global AI landscape, the UK government has announced £82.6 million in new flexible research funding.
This initiative aims to provide UK researchers with access to cutting-edge computing resources, unlocking the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI).
As part of this funding, two out of three pioneering projects will leverage AI to develop advanced treatments and diagnostics for critical diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s. This announcement coincides with the second day of the AI Action Summit in France, underscoring the government's commitment to harnessing new technologies to drive economic growth and progress in vital sectors like healthcare.
Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said:
“NHS innovation saved my life when I was diagnosed with cancer and treated by a world-class surgeon equipped with a robot. I want more patients to benefit from this kind of groundbreaking treatment, and AI will be central to our efforts.
“This new funding is another step to unlock the enormous potential of AI for cancer research and drug discovery - ensuring more patients like me experience the highest quality care.
“AI will help us speed up diagnoses, cut waiting times for patients and free up staff, as we deliver our Plan for Change and shift the NHS from analogue to digital.”
The government is investing £37.9 million in three innovative British research projects under the Research Ventures Catalyst (RVC) programme. This funding is complemented by an additional £44.7 million in co-investment from various sources, bringing the total backing to £82.6 million.
The RVC programme is designed to offer novel funding methods, such as endowments, which are tailored to meet the real needs of cutting-edge innovators. This approach aims to eliminate the barriers posed by inflexible funding, which often hinder the most creative and groundbreaking research efforts.
Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle added:
“The focus of this Summit has been on how we can put AI to work in the public interest, and today’s announcements are living proof of how the UK is leading that charge through our Plan for Change.
“We’ve already set out a bold new blueprint for AI which will help to spark a decade of national renewal, and key to that plan is supporting our expert researchers and businesses with the support they need to drive forward their game-changing innovations.
“Today, we open new avenues for them to do exactly that - building bridges with our international partners so the entire global community can share in the boundless opportunities of AI-powered progress and backing new innovative companies applying AI to tackle real-world challenges.”
The RVC programme will support pioneering work, including training AI on the NHS’s extensive cancer data pool and advancing drug discovery research. These initiatives are expected to revolutionise the way research is conducted, fostering innovation and accelerating the development of new treatments.
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