WIREDGOV

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) will soon launch a new opportunity for Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) in artificial intelligence (AI).

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CDTs deliver high quality, cohort-based doctoral education, this funding opportunity is a continuation and refresh of UKRI’s previous investment in AI CDTs.

The centres will train the next generation of AI researchers for a variety of careers in academia, business and the public sector, enabling the translation and adoption of AI.

Up to 15 centres will be supported subject to successful business case approval by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and HM Treasury.

Across UKRI’s remit

Applications are sought from across the remit of UKRI’s 7 research councils to meet the UK’s training needs in the applications and implications of novel and existing AI technologies.

Co-creation of AI solutions between different disciplines and engagement with industry and users of research are strongly encouraged, with interdisciplinary proposals based across the remit of 2 or more councils particularly welcomed.

Transforming our world with AI

Applications will be sought across the following priority areas, in line with the UKRI ‘Transforming our world with AI’ report:

• science and research: where AI could allow us to do research differently, radically accelerating the discovery process and enabling new breakthroughs
• health: where new capabilities for the management, use and interpretation of health data could help predict and better manage disease and deliver new treatments
• environment and energy: where better use of data could help to manage smart energy networks, tackle climate change and deliver net zero CO2 targets
• sustainable agriculture and food: to exploit the benefits of a data driven approach and help small and medium size businesses adopt them
• defence and security: where demonstrating AI technologies at scale is challenging
• creative industries: from understanding and addressing copyright to virtual production and the need to improve data infrastructure
• responsible and trustworthy AI, to address system wide trust, reliability, and ethical considerations of AI across technical and social applications

Cross-cutting priorities

The following will be considered cross-cutting priorities:

• AI for increasing business productivity, resilience and increased competitiveness across the economy
• application of AI to government policy and public services to improve effectiveness and efficiency

The funding opportunity for outline applications will open in November 2022 and close in February 2023 with the first cohorts starting at the beginning of the 2024 to 2025 academic year.

This funding opportunity complements that for the EPSRC Centres for Doctoral Training.