Labour drops Edinburgh exascale supercomputer but funds more AI

The £1.3bn pledge by the former government to build an £800m supercomputer in Edinburgh has gone – but there’s new money for artificial intelligence

Cliff Saran

Cliff Saran,
Managing Editor

Published: 06 Aug 2024 14:09

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has announced funding for 98 artificial intelligence (AI) projects to help kickstart the UK economy.

Minister for digital government and AI Feryal Clark said: “AI will deliver real change for working people across the UK – not only growing our economy but improving our public services. We want technology to boost growth and deliver change right across the board, and I’m confident projects like these will help us realise that ambition.”

The funding announcement comes as the previous Tory government’s pledges to fund AI projects are being pulled. According to a report on the BBC, DSIT has shelved £1.3bn of funding promised by the Conservatives for technology and AI projects. DSIT told the BBC the money was promised by the previous administration but was never allocated in its budget. Projects impacted include the £800m exascale computer in Edinburgh.

One of the companies benefiting from Labour’s AI funding commitment is V-Lab, which has received £165,006 to continue its development of software powered by AI to help people train in the construction sector. Training is provided through immersive, scenario-based, virtual simulations of real construction sites to teach workers about risk assessments and safety protocols.

Another firm to benefit is Nottingham-based Anteam, which is working alongside retailers and the NHS to improve the efficiency of pharmacy deliveries using AI algorithms. The technology matches the delivery needs of retailers and hospitals to existing delivery journeys, which offers a way to make use of under-utilised capacity, cutting carbon emissions and delivering a better experience for patients.

Also receiving funding is Hack Partners, which is the lead developer of an entirely autonomous system to monitor, manage and identify defects on rail infrastructure across the country.

And Cambridge-based Monumo is part of a team awarded £750,152 to develop improved designs for motors in electric vehicles. Its 3D generative AI tool is set to improve sustainability across sectors spanning commercial transportation, flight and power generation.

Other companies that will receive funding include Robok Limited with its SeeGul AI tool, which uses AI to monitor efficiency, improve resourcing and identify bottlenecks in warehouses and storage facilities, and Kelp Technologies, which is working with fashion retailers including Selfridges to develop real-time pricing and market trend analysis to address the complexity of pricing second-hand apparel.

DSIT said the funding is specifically to support applications in high-growth industries to ensure AI is at the heart of driving greater productivity and efficiency across key areas of the economy.

Kedar Pandya, UKRI Technology Missions Fund senior responsible owner and executive director of cross-council programmes at UKRI’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, said: “These projects will drive AI innovation and economic growth in a diverse range of high-growth industry sectors in all nations of the UK. They complement other investments made through the UKRI Technology Missions Fund, which are already helping to boost growth and productivity across the UK by harnessing the power of AI and other transformative technologies.”