AI UK: Creating an International Ecosystem for Responsible AI Research and Innovation

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can have dramatic effects on industrial sectors and societies (e.g., Generative AI, facial recognition, autonomous vehicles). AI UK will pioneer a reflective, inclusive approach to responsible AI development that does not ignore AI's potential harms but acknowledges, understands and mitigates them for diverse societies. AI UK adopts a strong human-centred approach to ensure societies deploy and use AI in a responsible way by providing the AI community with a toolkit of technological innovations, case studies, guidelines, policies and frameworks for all key sectors of the economy. To achieve this, AI UK will deliver and drive a collaborative ecosystem of researchers, industry, policymakers and stakeholders that will be responsive to the needs of society, led by a team of experienced, well-connected leaders from all four nations of the UK, committed to an inclusive approach to the management of the programme.

AI UK grows an interdisciplinary ecosystem that adopts Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI), Trusted Research, and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) as fundamental principles. AI UK will champion a research culture where everyone is respected, valued and able to contribute and benefit and coordinate the UK's AI research networks and programmes, working with key Research Council (and other funding) programmes, The Alan Turing Institute, The Ada Lovelace Institute, AI Standards hub, Centres for Doctoral Training, UKRI AI Research Hubs, Public Sector Research Establishments (PSREs) as well as the wider landscape of university-based Responsible/Ethical AI research institutes. AI UK will connect UK research to internationally leading research centres and institutions around the world. Ultimately, through this ecosystem, AI UK will deliver world-leading best practices for the design, evaluation, regulation and operation of AI-systems that benefit the nation and society. AI UK will invest in the following strands:

Ecosystem Creation and Management: to define the portfolio of thematic areas, translational activities, and strategic partnerships with academia, business and government and associated impact metrics. This will broaden and consolidate the network nationally and internationally and identify course corrections to national policy (e.g., industrial strategy).

Research & Innovation Programmes: to deliver consortia-led research that address fundamental challenges with multi-disciplinary and industrial perspectives, integrative research projects that link connected and established research teams across the community, and early stage and industry-led research and innovation projects to expand the UK's ecosystem and develop the next generation of leaders.
Skills Programme: to translate research into skills frameworks and training for users, customers, and developers of AI, and to contribute to the call for the UK AI Strategy's Online Academy.

Public and Policy Engagement: working with the network of policy makers, regulators, and key stakeholders to respond to arising concerns, need for new standards, build capacity for public accountability and provide evidence-based advice to the public and policymakers.