UK AI strategy sees Edinburgh as vital for powering science

The University of Edinburgh is set to play a key part in how AI is used to revolutionise research and innovation, as outlined in the UK Government’s new vision for AI in science.

The AI for Science Strategy, backed by up to £137m in funding, aims to position the UK as world-leading in AI-driven science, and enable unprecedented progress in pressing areas, including drug discovery and climate science.

Compute access

The University’s supercomputing centre, EPCC in its national role is at the heart of the compute pillar of the Government’s plan, providing a vital access point for the compute power essential to make AI-enabled breakthroughs that could enhance living standards and advance medical science. 

To realise this, EPCC will host a new national data repository, linked with a sister facility at Bristol. Together, these data storage facilities will ensure critical, robust compute access for researchers.

Set for success

The strategy also highlights the University’s CHAI (Causality in Healthcare AI hub), also involving Isambard AI in Bristol and Imperial College London, as a world-class exemplar for how the UK can leverage compute resources to advance the science of medical imaging through AI.

Beyond CHAI and EPCC, University leaders believe that Edinburgh is well placed to deliver on the strategy in areas such as quantum, AI, health and medical research, engineering biology and advanced therapeutics.

Edinburgh has been a world-leader in AI for more than 60 years, and is primed to support this bold strategy. AI has already supported breakthroughs in our Edinburgh Genome Foundry, Engineering Biology for Advanced Therapeutics Hub, the Quantum Software Lab, and in disciplines across the University. With one eye on this strategy, there is much more to come.

Professor Sotirios Tsaftaris Director of CHAI and DSIT Fellow: AI for Science Expert Adviser

Sustainability

Underlining the commitment to sustainability, the new strategy highlights how EPCC is seeking to re-use waste heat, through the Geobattery Research project, exploring whether the mine workings in Midlothian can be used to power the heat pumps of local homes and businesses. 

Work is also being progressed on providing heat to the Easter Bush Campus, once the next National Supercomputer is operational in 2027.

Industry links

Further strengthening the links between the University and the AI industry, Cerebras – the company behind the AI Accelerator computer cluster that EPCC hosts – commits to deepening its collaboration with EPCC and aims to increase its presence across the region, growing its local workforce, and accelerating innovation.

The strategy also outlines how the University of Edinburgh is already contributing to world-changing science, in a successful collaboration with Isambard AI and Imperial College London to advance the science of medical imaging through AI.

EPCC has been providing compute to the UK’s scientific and industrial research communities for 30 years. We are proud to be part of the UK Government’s vision for how we the seize the opportunities afforded by AI and supercomputing to change lives and enhance society for good.

Professor Mark Parsons Director of the EPCC
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