The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), has invested £80 million in the new hubs that will propel the UK to the forefront of advanced AI research.
Out of the nine, three will be focused on foundational mathematics and computational research. The other six will be focused on applications of AI for science, engineering and real-world data.
Information theory for distributed AI (INFORMED-AI)
Led by Professor Sidharth Jaggi
The INFORMED-AI hub is developing theoretical foundations and algorithmic approaches for intelligent distributed systems. These systems aim to be effective, resilient and trustworthy in their operations.
AI for collective intelligence (AI4CI)
Led by Professor Seth Bullock
The AI4CI hub will develop new machine learning and smart agent technologies fuelled by real-time data streams in order to achieve collective intelligence for individuals and national agencies across:
- healthcare
- pandemics
- cities
- finance
- environment
CHAI-EPSRC AI hub for causality in healthcare AI with real data
Led by Professor Sotirios Tsaftaris
Edinburgh’s CHAI hub will improve healthcare using AI by predicting outcomes and personalising treatments. This hub will develop novel methods to unravel complex causal relationships within healthcare data.
AI for productive research and Innovation in eLectronics (APRIL) hub
Led by Professor Themis Prodromakis
This hub will develop AI tools to transform the time it takes to develop a range of new products from new, fundamental materials for electronic devices to complicated microchip designs and system architectures.
The use of these AI tools will lead to faster, cheaper, greener and overall, more power-efficient electronics.
ProbAI: a hub for the mathematical and computational foundations of probabilistic AI
Led by Professor Paul Fearnhead
The ProbAI hub in Lancaster is exploring ways to embed probability models, probabilistic reasoning and measures of uncertainty within AI methods.
AI for Chemistry: aIchemy
Led by Professor Andrew Cooper and Professor Kim Jelfs (co-directors)
The joint Liverpool-Imperial hub will study foundational AI methods, experimental and computational chemistry, and autonomous, closed-loop robotics for chemical discovery.
AI hub in generative models
Led by Professor David Barber
Generative AI is a key technology that will continue to affect our lives. The hub will develop tools that industry, science and government can use to build responsible generative models to benefit the economy and society.
Mathematical foundations of intelligence: an ‘Erlangen Programme’ for AI
Led by Professor Michael Bronstein
Focusing on using mathematical principles, this hub will use geometry, topology and probability to enhance AI methods.
National edge AI hub for real data: edge intelligence for cyber-disturbances and data quality
Led by Professor Rajiv Ranjan and supported by expertise from:
- Durham University
- University of Hull
- Imperial College London
- University of Southampton
- Swansea University
- Cardiff University
- University of Warwick
- Lancaster University
- University of West Scotland
- University of St Andrews
- Queens University, Belfast
The hub focuses on the effect of cyber disturbances on the effectiveness and resilience of edge AI, with a particular focus on cyber threats and how to make it more secure and robust.
Edge AI research is the study of how to apply AI techniques near the source of the data instead of sending it to the cloud or a central server.