The University of Liverpool and Imperial College London will lead a £12 million research center to develop cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) for chemistry and accelerate its adoption, thanks to combined Research Council investment in engineering and physical sciences. (EPSRC) and the consortium partners.
The AI Hub for Chemistry, Alchemy, will bring together leading academic researchers, industry and other stakeholders to promote a collaborative community, deliver training and create new approaches to the rapidly evolving AI-chemistry interface to position the UK as the world leader in digital chemistry.
AI tools such as machine learning, automation and robotics have the potential to enable faster chemical discoveries to address key societal needs, but this requires the coordinated engagement of AI leaders and of chemistry to remain at the forefront of innovation in this field.
AIChemy will ensure that the chemical sciences community is able to harness the AI revolution so that researchers can provide solutions to global challenges such as net zero and global health.
Professor Andy Cooperfrom the Department of Chemistry and Materials Innovation (MIF) at the University of Liverpool and Professor Kim Jelfs from the Department of Chemistry and the Institute for Digital Molecular Design and Manufacturing (DigiFAB) at Imperial College London are co-leading this unique consortium.
Professor Andy Cooper said: “It is the UK’s first academic and industry institute dedicated to supporting collaboration between chemistry and AI researchers. There is huge potential for chemistry researchers to work more effectively with AI researchers, and this new hub will bring together two distinct disciplines to build a cohesive new UK research community.
Professor Kim Jelfs said: “AI has the potential to transform chemistry and this new interdisciplinary research hub aims to ensure the UK is at the forefront of the AI chemical revolution. »
This UK-wide consortium brings together internationally renowned AI researchers and those at the interface of AI for chemistry from nine academic institutions (University of Liverpool, Imperial College London, Queen’s University Belfast, UCL and the universities of Cambridge, Manchester, Oxford, Southampton and Strathclyde) alongside more than 15 industrial partners.
AIChemy will draw on specialist facilities and world-renowned research institutes where interdisciplinary work already exists, including MIF in Liverpool and DigiFAB and IX at Imperial College London.
Together, this leading hub will transform the UK landscape of the chemistry discipline, transforming engagement with AI from a relatively niche activity to a core platform methodology.
AIChemy is one of nine poles funded through an £80 million investment announced today by the EPSRC, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
WATCH: Professor Cooper and Professor Jelfs discuss Alchemy, the new AI for Chemistry Hub.
AI Minister Viscount Camrose said: “The investment we are making in these new projects is only possible thanks to our pro-innovation approach to AI. The response to the consultation on the White Paper on AI Regulation we presented today will enable us to move forward with this plan, driving forward the next wave of brilliant innovation in AI AI.
“These hubs will drive new cutting-edge advances, from health treatments and more energy-efficient electronics to machine learning and chemical discovery.
“The new projects delivered by BRAID will also help 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 capabilities.”
Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, Director General of UKRI, said: “UKRI helps researchers and innovators develop the next generation of AI technologies that will transform our economy and society. The investments announced today will help provide the capacity the UK needs to take advantage of the opportunities offered by this transformative technology.
“Through our £1 billion investment portfolio in AI research and innovation, we are supporting the development of new technologies, building skills and accelerating the adoption of trustworthy and responsible AI. »
Professor Charlotte Deane, executive chair of the EPSRC, said: “Artificial intelligence is already transforming our world. The EPSRC supports world-leading research to unlock its potential and ensure it is developed and used ethically and responsibly. Long-term research funding has led to revolutionary advances that make AI a powerful tool for many applications.
“The hubs will deliver groundbreaking AI innovations and tools across a range of sectors from healthcare and energy to smart cities and the environment. Only by solving key challenges and improving our understanding of AI will we achieve the increased productivity and economic growth that this technology promises.
THE Materials Innovation Factory at the University of Liverpool is a state-of-the-art £81 million facility dedicated to advanced materials research. It brings together cutting-edge materials chemistry expertise with the latest computing and robotics equipment to accelerate research and reduce the time needed to develop new products to address a range of societal challenges.
THE Institute for Digital Molecular Design and Manufacturing (DigiFAB) at Imperial is leading a new era of digital molecular design and manufacturing for a smart, healthy and sustainable society. The Institute’s vision is to transform chemical design and manufacturing away from slow, labor-intensive manual methods and toward highly automated, data-driven approaches that capitalize on the progress of the fourth industrial revolution.
AI and Chemistry Podcast
How is AI being used today to transform research in chemistry and computer science, and what are the hopes for the future?
In the second episode of the University show Podcast Original ideasProfessors Katie Atkinson and Andy Cooper and early career researchers Dr Jack Mumford and Dr Gabriella Pizzuto join Gavin Freeborn to discuss this question:
