UKRI unveils £1.6bn AI strategy to drive research breakthroughs
James
UK Research and Innovation has unveiled its first dedicated artificial intelligence strategy, backed £1.6 billion investment aimed at keeping the UK at the forefront of scientific and technological breakthroughs.
UKRI said the funding – to be deployed between 2026 and 2030 – represents its single biggest targeted investment area over the spending period. The programme will support advances ranging from earlier cancer detection to cleaner energy systems and more efficient public services.
The strategy, published by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and UKRI, sets out six priority areas for investment:
- Advancing AI technology development
- Transforming research through AI
- Developing skills and talent
- Accelerating innovation for economic and societal benefit
- Championing responsible AI
- Building world-class data and infrastructure
As part of the investment, up to £137 million will be allocated through DSIT’s AI for Science Strategy to back AI-enabled scientific discovery, initially focused on drug discovery and new treatments. A further £36 million will be invested to upgrade the University of Cambridge’s DAWN supercomputer, supporting research in healthcare and environmental modelling.
The funding also includes backing for mathematics, computer science and engineering research, alongside expanded doctoral and fellowship routes co-designed with industry. UKRI said it would support recognised career frameworks for research software engineers, data scientists and AI ethics specialists, in a bid to strengthen the UK’s long-term skills pipeline.
Speaking at the India AI Impact Summit, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said: “The UK is backing its pioneering AI leadership with more than £1.6 billion in investment to make sure the best of British expertise develops the next wave of AI innovations. Together we are turning potential into progress and that’s the ambition I am bringing to the AI Summit in India this week.
“From spotting cancers earlier to cutting backlogs in public services, new research into AI will be a game-changer, bringing the promise of tomorrow’s technologies to the UK today.”
UK AI Minister Kanishka Narayan said: “The potential of combining our AI expertise with our peerless R&D community is a game-changer. This plan will harness AI to accelerate both the pace and possibility of scientific endeavour.”
