School of Informatics researchers part of new research lab to make AI more accessible

In recent years, AI has emerged as a powerful tool with the potential to transform sectors across the economy and society, from healthcare and education to small businesses, public services, science and advanced industry.

AI has quickly gone from being the staple of science fiction to something people use everyday – at work, in schools and public services. That includes in hospitals where it is screening patients for cancer, in the energy sector designing better batteries, and accelerating drug discovery in medicine.

But we are still only scratching the surface of what AI could potentially deliver for the economy, public services, and society. The UK is uniquely placed to spearhead the fundamental work that could make AI cheaper to run, more dependable, and easier for businesses, researchers and public services across the UK to adopt and use.

The SOFAIR Lab will focus on developing next-generation AI technologies that are more open and widely accessible. Its aim is to expand and diversify the underlying technologies and systems that AI runs on, moving beyond the small number of dominant architectures that currently underpin most AI models and demand immense computing resources.

Led by Professor David Barber at UCL, SOFAIR will bring together researchers from computer science, mathematics, statistics and neuroscience to explore new ways to design AI systems. The work is expected to make advanced AI tools cheaper and more accessible, accelerating progress towards AI technologies that are more sustainable and whose benefits can be shared more widely across society.

Researchers from Edinburgh's School of Informatics will contribute expertise, building on decades of pioneering work that has established the University as one of the world's leading centres for artificial intelligence research.

With some of the world’s leading universities at the heart, the UK is uniquely placed to lead this work.

The School of Informatics is the UK's oldest academic AI research centre and has been at the forefront of advances in computer science and artificial intelligence for more than 60 years. Its researchers have helped shape the development of modern AI, from foundational research in machine learning and language technologies to innovations transforming healthcare, industry and public services.

The University also plays a leading role in a range of national AI initiatives, including research hubs focused on generative AI, probabilistic AI and AI applications in healthcare and electronics.

The new lab forms part of a growing national effort to ensure AI technologies are developed in ways that are efficient, reliable and deliver tangible benefits for society.

The funding forms part of UKRI's AI Strategy – a £1.6 billion plan to strengthen the UK's leadership in AI over the next four years. With world-class universities, leading researchers and a growing AI sector, the UK is well placed not only to develop AI, but to ensure more organisations can benefit from it, strengthening the country's capability, resilience and long-term growth.