UK robotics research to get £17 million investment
The government is to announce a funding boost of £17.3 million to support the development of new robotics and artificial intelligence technologies at UK universities.
The investment, part of a range of measures designed to develop the UK’s AI sector, forms part of the government’s Digital Strategy, designed to deliver a “thriving, outward-looking digital economy”.
It’s estimated that AI could add as much as £654 billion to the UK economy by 2035.
The AI measures, due to be announced by Karen Bradley, the culture secretary, later this week, include:
£17.3 million in funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to support the development of new robotics and AI technologies in universities across the UK.
A “major AI review”, led by the University of Southampton's computer science professor Wendy Hall and Jerome Pesenti from UK AI firm BenevolentAI, that seeks to see how AI technology can “thrive and grow” in the UK.
The government said the UK is already a world leader in robotics and AI technology and has potential to grow further, into commercialisation.
AI is used in smartphone voice and touch recognition technology, virtual digital assistants like Siri, online customer services and fraud detection tools used by banks to protect against theft.
Ms Bradley said: “Britain has a proud history of digital innovation - from the earliest days of computing to Sir Tim Berners-Lee’s development of the World Wide Web.
“We are already pioneers in today’s artificial intelligence revolution and the Digital Strategy will build on our strengths to make sure UK-based scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs continue to be at the forefront.”
Dame Wendy Hall said: “Our scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs are at the forefront of the development of artificial intelligence and I’m looking forward to exploring how industry and government can work together to support the technology in the UK.”
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