University of Oxford to share £80 million investment to develop next-gen AI technologies

The University of Oxford is to share in a major £80 million investment to develop next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.

The funding, from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, EPSRC (part of UK Research and Innovation, UKRI), will support nine new AI research hubs in the UK, one of which will be based at the University of Oxford’s Department of Computer Science.

Led by Professor Michael Bronstein (DeepMind Chair in Artificial Intelligence, Department of Computer Science), the Oxford hub will focus on the mathematics and computational research which is foundational to AI, and which could unlock new, more efficient AI systems. The hub will seek new AI breakthroughs by employing theoretical tools from currently underexplored mathematical fields.

The research programme will bring together almost 40 researchers at Oxford from across the Department of Computer Science, the Mathematical Institute and the Department of Statistics. They will focus on developing rigorous mathematical answers to fundamental questions that underlie modern AI and machine learning systems.

Professor Charlotte Deane, Executive Chair of EPSRC, and a Professor in Oxford University’s Department of Statistics, said:

‘Artificial intelligence is already transforming our world. EPSRC supports world-leading research to unlock its potential and ensure it is developed and used in an ethical and responsible way. Long-term research funding has led to revolutionary advancements that have made AI a powerful tool for many applications.’

‘These hubs will deliver revolutionary AI innovations and tools in sectors from healthcare to energy, smart cities and environment. They will achieve this by solving key challenges and improving our understanding of AI helping to drive the increased productivity and economic growth promised by this technology.’