UK AI Safety Summit to Provide Funding Boost for AI Initiatives in Fashion, Farming, and Fire-Fighting for Small Businesses

15 Oct, 2023

UK AI Safety Summit to Provide Funding Boost for AI Initiatives in Fashion, Farming, and Fire-Fighting for Small Businesses

In preparation for the upcoming AI Safety Summit in the UK, Science and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan has announced a substantial funding injection of £37 million for diverse AI projects in fields such as fashion, farming, and fire-fighting. This financial support aims to showcase how AI can be harnessed for the greater good.

This funding opportunity of £32 million is now open for applications, welcoming research teams and businesses of all sizes from high-growth industries, spanning transport, agriculture, construction, and creative sectors. These funds will facilitate the responsible expansion of AI initiatives, bolster the wider industry, strengthen workforces, and contribute to the UK's economic growth, aligning with the Prime Minister's economic development priorities.

In addition to this, an extra £5 million has been allocated to support feasibility studies for 100 projects involving small businesses across the UK. This funding aims to nurture innovative ideas that have the potential to revolutionize industries through AI applications. The government's objective is to harness AI's positive impacts to enhance productivity and growth across various sectors, from managing power supplies to improving transportation efficiency and reducing waste in the construction industry, to monitoring dairy cattle health.

The announcement was made by the Technology Secretary during her visit to Kapdaa, a sustainable fashion brand based in Kingston Upon Thames. Kapdaa's AI4Fibres project, which focuses on textile and fiber recycling, received government support. This project seeks to reduce the environmental footprint of the fashion industry and cut down on the approximately 921,000 tonnes of used textiles discarded in household waste in the UK annually, equivalent to over 70,000 London buses. Kapdaa's technology can efficiently sort and process textile waste by material while removing zips and buttons, thereby increasing recycling and reducing landfills. Current manual methods, reliant on accurate garment labeling or the use of handheld machines to individually scan items, can be labor-intensive and costly.

Several other projects have received funding as well, including TradeWork's AI-assisted project management systems for more efficient work scheduling, resourcing, budgeting, and completion, which can lead to faster and more cost-effective housebuilding. DeepPlanet is working on the detection and prediction of diseases in wine grape plants through satellite imagery to prevent waste.

Furthermore, DigiLab in Exeter is assisting farmers in identifying and verifying carbon capture, while Better Environment and Transport are exploring AI solutions to help UK Fire and Rescue services transition towards net-zero emissions, leading to savings on fuel costs and reduced pollution.

Science and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan emphasized the transformative potential of AI when deployed safely and responsibly, with the ability to enhance productivity and efficiency beyond previous expectations. The government is backing a diverse array of projects, from clothing recycling to construction advancement, with the aim of shaping the future of AI in the UK economy.

The £32 million competition for funding is now open and will close on November 8, shortly after the UK hosts the world's first major AI Safety Summit, which will bring together global leaders, technology experts, researchers, and civil society groups to foster international cooperation on safe and responsible AI development.

Funding for these projects is provided through the UKRI Technology Missions Fund and is administered by the Innovate UK BridgeAI program. This funding will be awarded to at least one micro-business, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME), one large enterprise, and one academic institution or research and technology organization (RTO).

Dr. Kedar Pandya, Executive Director of Cross-Council Programmes at UKRI, emphasized that these feasibility projects are essential in demonstrating how AI can be integrated into various sectors of the UK's economy. The new competition seeks to create consortia involving businesses of all sizes in collaboration with academic and research institutions, thereby harnessing the knowledge and practical expertise of all partners.

This funding announcement follows the commitment of £2 million by the Technology Secretary towards four projects exploring AI solutions for challenging cancers. Additionally, £13 million, pledged through the UKRI Technology Missions Fund, is dedicated to pioneering AI innovation in healthcare. These efforts span 22 projects in collaboration with universities and NHS trusts across the UK, from Edinburgh to Surrey. In June, the government also unveiled £31 million to establish a UK and international research and innovation ecosystem for responsible and trustworthy AI.