InnovateUK announces £7M for over 100 projects in AI

Over 100 projects to receive funding to trial productivity-boosting artificial intelligence (AI) tools for businesses.

Small businesses across the country will be helped to boost their productivity and efficiency through AI tools set to be trialled.

AI tools range from technology that predicts potholes before they form to AI models that help farmers make their dairy cows more productive.

Testing transformative AI technology

The £7 million funding comes from the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Technology Missions Fund, delivered by the Innovate UK BridgeAI programme.

It will help the 120 projects test potentially transformative AI technology across four high growth industry sectors which include:

• agri-food
• transport and logistics
• construction
• creative industries

Solving pressing challenges

Projects will see small to medium-sized enterprises and research organisations working together to solve pressing business challenges that include:

• reducing food wastage
• improving road infrastructure to increase safety
• making buildings healthier for the people that live in them
• encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion at work

On top of the monetary support, the BridgeAI programme supports businesses by allowing them to tap into training and scientific expertise.

It also offers wider expert advice and guidance to develop their AI innovations.

Defining technology

AI is set to be the defining technology of the 21st century.

It is already boosting businesses’ productivity and overhauling public services like healthcare.

It is critical we act now, to help Britain’s businesses and job-creators embrace AI.

By acting now, they can be more productive, competitive, and deliver the growth the UK needs to improve public services and put more cash in hardworking people’s pockets.

Seizing the opportunity

As Europe’s number one destination for AI businesses, the UK is already well-positioned to seize this opportunity.

The support announced today is focused on how:

• AI could help smaller companies tackle pressing challenges to their businesses
• researchers can use this tech to take on everyday problems we all live with

Harnessing the power of AI

This funding is giving people the tools they need to harness the power of new technologies like AI, which will ultimately grow the economy and benefit everyone.

Other projects include:

• using AI to cut food waste, and thereby protect profit margins, at a bakery by accurately predicting sales and forecasting how much of each product needs to be made daily
• road-testing an AI tool that can predict potholes before they form, so roads can be repaired earlier and more cheaply, and before they cause expensive damage to vehicles
• trialling an AI model that anticipates where mould is likely to grow in buildings, so they can be remediated before they become a health and safety issue

Putting AI to work across the economy

Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: "Putting AI to work right across the economy can help businesses cut waste, move faster and be more productive. The huge range of projects receiving funding today, from farmers and bakers to those tackling potholes on our roads and mould in residential properties, demonstrates the truly limitless benefits of AI that are there for the taking. And take them we will, with our 50-point AI Opportunities Plan, published yesterday, to unleash AI across the UK, delivering a decade of national renewal and firing up our Plan for Change."

Building on an ambitious vision

This announcement builds on the AI Opportunities Action Plan published yesterday, which sets out the government’s ambitious vision to ramp up the adoption of AI right across the economy.

The plan is a roadmap to:

• spread AI adoption across every part of the UK
• help boost living standards
• create jobs
• unleash economic growth

As the projects announced today will show, AI could make a positive impact in every field of work in the UK, and will be critical to kickstarting the growth the country needs.

From tech to help strawberry farmers protect their yields, to tools to help town planners predict their area’s future transport needs.

A major boost to sectors

Dr Kedar Pandya, UKRI Technology Missions Fund Senior Responsible Owner and Executive Director of Cross-Council programme at the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, said: "Today’s investment, funded through UKRI’s Technology Missions Fund, is a major boost to the BridgeAI’s target sectors where the adoption of AI technologies could help to improve productivity and efficiency. UKRI is in a unique position to bring together businesses and research organisations across a wide range of sectors to discover where AI can make the most difference to people’s lives and the UK economy."

Unlocking the potential of AI for businesses

Esra Kasapoglu, Director of AI and Data Economy at Innovate UK said: "The adoption of AI in UK industry is fundamental to supporting the country’s economic growth. Today’s investment will enable us, through BridgeAI, to help more companies to unlock the potential of AI in their business. It will also allow further development of projects already demonstrating impact to continue their AI journey."

This article was first published on 14 January by UKRI/InnovateUK.