Edinburgh, UK – The city of Edinburgh has emerged as a prominent hub for Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovation, securing a substantial £24 million in funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). This investment is part of EPSRC’s broader £80 million initiative aimed at harnessing the potential of AI to address real-world challenges and advance research.
Edinburgh leads in AI research
Edinburgh is set to play a pivotal role in AI development, leading or participating in more than half of the nine AI research centers established as part of EPSRC’s nationwide endeavor. This achievement further solidifies Edinburgh’s position as a driving force in the advancement of AI technology in the United Kingdom.
Under the leadership of Professor Themis Prodromakis, Edinburgh will spearhead the AI Hub for Productive Research and Innovation in Electronics (APRIL). APRIL aims to leverage AI tools to expedite the development of crucial electronic components such as new semiconductor materials, intricate microchip designs, and system architectures. This endeavor promises to result in faster, cost-effective, eco-friendly, and energy-efficient electronics.
AI hub for causality in healthcare AI with real data (CHAI)
Edinburgh will also lead the EPSRC AI Hub for Causality in Healthcare AI with Real Data (CHAI), helmed by Professor Sotirios Tsaftaris, Canon Medical/RAEng Chair in Healthcare AI. CHAI’s primary objective is to innovate new methods for uncovering significant connections within complex healthcare data. By developing AI technologies, CHAI seeks to empower decision-making tools, enhancing early prediction, diagnosis, and disease prevention, while ensuring the safety of such technologies in healthcare.
CHAI’s innovative AI applications have far-reaching implications for addressing critical societal health challenges. These include understanding infections, combating Alzheimer’s disease, improving cancer treatments, enhancing social care, managing diabetes, and facilitating rehabilitation.
Collaborative efforts
Both APRIL and CHAI will receive £12 million each from EPSRC and will involve researchers from the University’s School of Informatics, School of Mathematics, and the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, with contributions from the Bayes Centre—the university’s hub for data science and AI innovation.
In addition to leading the aforementioned AI hubs, Edinburgh experts will also play crucial roles in two other AI centers launched by the government. The ProbAI hub, led by Lancaster University, will pioneer research in probabilistic AI. Meanwhile, the AI Hub in Generative Models, led by University College London, is focused on creating tools that can be employed by industry, government, and the scientific community to fine-tune AI models that generate data like text, images, videos, and computer code.
Bridging responsible AI divides
Edinburgh’s dedication to responsible AI has received significant support, with an additional £9.6 million allocated to the Bridging Responsible AI Divides (BRAID) program. Launched in November 2022, BRAID has received £2 million from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to fund ten six-month studies aimed at defining responsible AI across sectors such as education, policing, and the creative industries.
Furthermore, BRAID will receive £7.6 million to fund a second phase of its program, which includes creating new rounds of BRAID Fellowships and developing professional AI skills in collaboration with industry partners. BRAID is co-led by Professor Shannon Vallor and Professor Ewa Luger, both affiliated with the University’s Edinburgh Futures Institute.
Edinburgh’s pioneering AI legacy
This substantial investment underscores the University of Edinburgh’s standing as a global leader in AI research. The university boasts a rich history in this field, dating back to 1963 when it established the first research group in AI and computer science in Europe. In late 2023, Edinburgh was chosen as the host for three UKRI Centres for Doctoral Training in AI, dedicated to nurturing the next generation of experts in robotics, biomedical innovation, and natural language processing.
The university’s commitment to AI extends to its recent establishment of the Generative AI Laboratory (GAIL), poised to push the boundaries of generative AI for societal benefit and economic growth. GAIL’s mission includes developing innovative techniques for generative AI in critical areas such as robotics, drug discovery, medical diagnoses, novel semiconductor technologies, and addressing climate change.
Edinburgh’s strides in AI research and innovation not only solidify its position as a pioneering force in the field but also promise significant contributions to addressing pressing global challenges through cutting-edge AI technologies. With substantial funding and a wealth of expertise, the future of AI in Edinburgh looks brighter than ever.
