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Government funding of £32 million has been awarded to companies developing artificial intelligence (AI) that can improve productivity and public services.
A total of 98 projects involving more than 200 businesses and research organisations have been successful in securing funding spanning a range of sectors including public services, driving efficiencies and reducing administrative tasks.
Minister for Digital Government and AI Feryal Clark said:
“AI will deliver real change for working people across the UK – not only growing our economy but improving our public services.
“That’s why our support for initiatives like this will be so crucial – backing a range of projects which could reduce train delays, give us new ways of maintaining our vital infrastructure, and improve experiences for patients by making it easier to get their prescriptions to them.
“We want technology to boost growth and deliver change right across the board, and I’m confident projects like these will help us realise that ambition.“
Work on bringing these new innovations to life is already underway as the winning teams begin to develop their solutions to deliver the cost-cutting, efficiency boosting benefits across the UK. Specific projects being supported including an immersive system to deliver safety training in the construction sector, algorithms to improve NHS efficiencies, a 3D generative tool to develop improved designs for electric motors, and an autonomous system to monitor rail infrastructure for defects.
The winning projects are funded through the UKRI Technology Missions Fund to secure the UK’s global leadership in emerging and future AI technologies. The projects are delivered through the?Innovate UK?BridgeAI ?programme, whose additional support also includes access to training and scientific expertise, expert AI advice and guidance, and greater collaboration between businesses and developers.
Dr Kedar Pandya, UKRI Technology Missions Fund Senior Responsible Owner and Executive Director of Cross-Council Programmes at UKRI’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council said:
“These projects will drive AI innovation and economic growth in a diverse range of high-growth industry sectors in all nations of the UK.
“They complement other investments made through the UKRI Technology Missions Fund, which are already helping to boost growth and productivity across the UK by harnessing the power of AI and other transformative technologies.“
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