Glasgow Social Sciences Hub

Leading mathematicians, engineers, and computer scientists across the UK are uniting in a new national initiative to propel AI applications to unprecedented levels in various domains, including healthcare, pandemics, urban planning, finance, and environmental sustainability.

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), a part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), has allocated funding to establish nine AI hubs across the UK, while the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), also part of UKRI, is funding 10 scoping studies. These studies aim to delineate responsible AI practices in education, law enforcement, and the creative sectors.

The University of Bristol is spearheading the establishment of two national AI research hubs, with £21 million in funding from UK Research and Innovation's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

Professor Alison Heppenstall, representing the University of Glasgow, is leading the Smart Cities hub under the AI4CI collaboration. This consortium, comprising universities such as Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Ulster, and University College London (UCL), aims to harness collective intelligence for better decision-making at both individual and societal levels.

For example, the hub's initiatives include personalised anticipatory guidance for diabetes patients and enhancing NHS policies for patient support. Additionally, the Pandemic Resilience theme explores how AI can enhance pandemic response strategies.

Professor Alison Heppenstall remarked, "Collaborating with CASA @UCL, the Smart Cities hub will offer fresh insights into urban challenges through simulation and AI techniques."

Moreover, under the Bridging Responsible AI Divides (BRAID) programme, the AHRC is funding 10 six-month scoping projects, including the University of Glasgow's "iREAL: Inclusive Requirements Elicitation for AI in Libraries to Support Respectful Management of Indigenous Knowledges." This project aims to develop responsible AI systems for libraries incorporating Indigenous knowledge.

Professor Paul Gooding from the University of Glasgow stated, The impact of AI is already being felt across libraries, but we still lack an understanding of how AI systems impact on the communities who were responsible for creating the materials upon which those systems rely. This project therefore aims to include Indigenous communities in the creation and critique of AI systems development in libraries. Research of this nature is vital in helping libraries to deploy Artificial Intelligence to their collections and practices in a way that is compatible with the principles of Responsible AI and Indigenous data governance.

“I’m delighted to be working with this highly interdisciplinary team to work on an issue of great importance to both libraries and Indigenous communities.”

These initiatives coincide with the government's publication of its AI regulation white paper consultation response, indicating the UK's commitment to fostering innovation while ensuring responsible AI deployment.

Minister for AI Viscount Camrose, said: "The investment we’re pouring into these new projects is only possible as a result of our pro-innovation approach to AI. The AI Regulation White Paper consultation response we’ve set out today will see us forging ahead with that plan, driving forward the next wave of brilliant AI innovations. "These hubs will nurture new, cutting-edge breakthroughs, from healthcare treatments and more power efficient electronics to machine learning and chemical discovery.

"New projects being delivered by BRAID will also help to define responsible AI in key sectors such as education, policing, and the creative industries, ensuring public trust in the technology as we continue to harness its transformative capabilities."

Read the full article on the University of Glasgow news webpage.