- First-ever AI Strategy for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) marks daring plan to make AI ship for UK’s cutting-edge science and research efforts, supporting breakthroughs from well being to clear power and past
- AI ambitions for UK’s largest public research funder backed by document £1.6 billion, instantly focused at the AI sector between now and the tip of the last decade
- From screening for most cancers to harnessing clear power, research and innovation is crucial to making AI work for good: a key theme of this 12 months’s AI Impact Summit
AI might be put to work to rework cutting-edge research into improvements that profit us all – from better healthcare and new public services to leading edge merchandise.
The UK’s largest public research funder UKRI has set out its first-ever plan to put AI to work for the nation’s world-leading innovators as we speak (Thursday 19 February) – constructing on the UK’s historic strengths in fields like computing and agentic AI.
UKRI-backed work on AI is already making a distinction throughout society and the economic system – from the world-leading RADAR AI system that detects faults on the railway community in actual time, to the IXI Brain Atlas which is supporting greater than 40 scientific trials into degenerative illnesses like Alzheimer’s by serving to to analyse mind scans.
In the current Spending Review settlement, UKRI dedicated a document £1.6 billion of funding instantly focused at the AI sector over the following 4 years, its largest single funding space for 2026 to 2030. This consists of funding for particular exercise that UKRI will ship on behalf of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) – which is topic to change as supply plans are finalised. It additionally sits alongside vital extra AI funding woven by the broader UKRI price range.
The new technique indicators UKRI’s intention to make main investments in arithmetic, pc science and engineering research which underpin AI experience. World-class researchers and companies throughout the UK will additionally profit from better entry to the precise instruments, coaching and infrastructure to unlock new development throughout the UK. This will assist convey to life improvements that make folks’s lives better – a key theme of the India AI Impact Summit which continues this week.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, who’s main the UK delegation at the India AI Impact Summit, mentioned:
The UK is backing its pioneering AI management with greater than £1.6 billion in funding to make certain the very best of British experience develops the following wave of AI improvements. Together we’re turning potential into progress and that’s the ambition I’m bringing to the AI Summit in India this week.
From recognizing cancers earlier to slicing backlogs in public services, new research into AI might be a game-changer, bringing the promise of tomorrow’s applied sciences to the UK as we speak.
UK AI Minister Kanishka Narayan mentioned:
The potential of combining our AI experience with our peerless R&D group is a game-changer. This plan will harness AI to speed up each the tempo and risk of scientific endeavour.
We are already seeing AI change the sport for what’s potential in fields from well being, to power, and past. Boldly backing this expertise is how we push our Great British innovators to additional success, and construct a path to breakthroughs that enhance our well being, wealth, and wellbeing.
The technique additionally commits to increasing doctoral and fellowship routes co-designed with companies. It will additionally assist recognised profession frameworks for research software program engineers, knowledge scientists and ethics specialists – supporting the high-paying jobs of the long run.
AI is one of the central development sectors within the UK’s industrial technique. UKRI’s plan will flip the UK’s scientific excellence into financial benefit by supporting regional clusters, creating new jobs and backing applied sciences with high-growth potential.
Professor Charlotte Deane, Senior Responsible Owner for the UKRI AI Programme and Executive Chair of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, mentioned:
The UK has deep strengths in AI. From the nation of Alan Turing and Ada Lovelace, we’ve got a world-class custom in arithmetic and pc science. This technique will flip that research excellence into nationwide benefit.
To do this, we should make daring selections in areas the place the UK can genuinely lead the world. UKRI will play a central function in backing the total innovation pathway from basic research to prototypes to scale-up.
By uniting universities, companies, business and authorities we will unlock the potential we’ve got lengthy had however haven’t but absolutely mobilised.
Areas of focus
Under the brand new strategic framework, funding will focus on 6 precedence areas:
- advancing expertise growth
- remodeling research by AI
- creating AI abilities and expertise
- accelerating innovation for financial development and societal profit
- championing accountable and reliable AI
- constructing world-class AI knowledge and infrastructure
Central to UKRI’s plan is constructing a powerful research and innovation group which can assist them with the talents they want to grow to be the AI leaders of the long run.
UKRI-backed AI research is already making a distinction to on a regular basis life, from the world’s first system recognizing railway faults earlier than they trigger delays to a instrument detecting on-line hurt to keep us protected. In healthcare, AI-powered mind imaging helps to determine early indicators of Alzheimer’s and different neurodegenerative illnesses.
Now UKRI is now placing its weight behind AI. Under the brand new technique, it should assist to ship:
- up to £137 million as half of DSIT’s AI for Science Strategy to again AI-enabled scientific discovery beginning with drug discovery and new therapies
- £36 million to improve the University of Cambridge’s “DAWN” supercomputer supporting breakthroughs in areas like healthcare and environmental modelling.
Today’s AI is constructed on a long time of curiosity-driven research throughout arithmetic, pc science, neuroscience and linguistics.
The technique will create an setting the place discovery-led research continues to thrive. It will simplify programmes and take away boundaries, supporting researchers by the journey from basic research to prototypes to scale-up.
Notes to editors
The full UKRI AI Research and Innovation Strategic Framework.
The technique builds on UKRI’s 2021 “Transforming our World with AI” document and responds to technological advances for the reason that 2019/20 UKRI AI assessment.
The following investments referenced on this announcement had been beforehand introduced and might be delivered by UKRI’s new technique: AI for Science: up to £137 million to back AI-enabled scientific discovery, beginning with drug discovery and new therapies. This funding was introduced as half of DSIT’s AI for Science Strategy in November 2025.
DAWN supercomputer upgrade: £36 million to upgrade the University of Cambridge’s DAWN supercomputer, supporting breakthroughs in healthcare, environmental modelling, and different research areas. This funding was introduced in January 2026.
UKRI funding has already demonstrated the transformative potential of AI funding throughout crucial areas.
Protecting our rail infrastructure
RADAR has remodeled railway security with a world main AI system that detects overhead line faults in actual time and mechanically prevents injury. Now deployed throughout UK networks and attracting worldwide curiosity
Helping us keep protected on-line
Nisien.ai secured vital funding in March 2025 to develop Hero Detect, an AI instrument that detects and classifies on-line harms in real-time while fostering safer communities with out extreme censorship
Safeguarding our pursuits
AHRC BRAID fellows are embedded instantly into authorities departments together with DSIT, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Ofcom and Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF), working on essential areas from AI regulation and security to mental property and public belief in AI-generated data. The fellows are co-funded by the British Academy
Detecting illness earlier
The IXI Brain Atlas makes use of AI and quantitative picture evaluation to determine over 150 mind buildings with microscopic precision. Already utilized in 10,000+ affected person visits throughout 40+ scientific trials for Alzheimer’s and neurodegenerative illnesses.