The government has unveiled a £32m funding pot for businesses and research teams looking to incorporate AI technology in new use cases.
AI projects across a diverse range of areas including fashion and agriculture will be supported by government funding in the lead up to the AI Safety Summit.
An additional £5m has been awarded to feasibility studies for 100 projects involving small businesses in the UK to encourage every sector to be ready for the development of AI.
The latest AI project to receive government support was Kapdaa, a sustainable fashion brand which is using AI for textile and fibre recycling.
Other funded projects include an AI-assisted project management system from TradeWork and an AI tool to predict diseases in wine grape plants through satellite imagery, developed by DeepPlanet.
“When it is deployed safely and responsibly, AI can and will transform what is possible in the world of work, unlocking gains in productivity and efficiency that could never have been imagined before,” said tech secretary Michelle Donelan.
The funding is from the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Technology Missions Fund and will be delivered by the Innovate UK BridgeAI programme.
“The feasibility projects UKRI is funding will demonstrate how AI can aid and be incorporated into many of the UK’s industries and sectors,” said Dr Kedar Pandya, executive director, cross-council programmes at UKRI.
“Similarly, the new competition will develop consortia that involve small, medium and large business partnering with academic and research bodies. This will mean drawing on both the knowledge and practical experiences of partners.”
The government is encouraging UK businesses to explore the use of AI as it prepares to host its first international summit on AI safety.
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{URL}https://www.uktech.news/ai/government-ai-project-funding-20231016{/URL}
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