Imperial College London has launched the Centre for AI-Driven Innovation in partnership with the World Economic Forum, becoming the first global centre of its kind in the UK. The initiative, unveiled by Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle during London Tech Week, is designed to fast-track the adoption of artificial intelligence across UK industry.
Part of the World Economic Forum’s network of Centres for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the new centre strengthens the UK’s role in shaping the future of AI. It will foster collaboration between public and private sectors to support the responsible integration of advanced technologies across a wide range of applications.
The UK government is expected to play a central role in shaping the centre’s priorities, aligning them with national goals for economic growth through AI. The aim is to translate cutting-edge research into real-world solutions that address both present demands and future opportunities.
Imperial’s AI research network includes more than 1,000 experts across disciplines. The new centre complements wider efforts by the university to promote interdisciplinary research, including the launch of its School for Human and Artificial Intelligence under its convergence science strategy.
Recent discussions at Imperial have highlighted the need for stronger financial backing for AI startups. At a roundtable held at the White City Deep Tech Campus, industry, government and academic leaders explored ways to overcome growth barriers and bolster London’s position as a European leader in AI.
Imperial also sees AI as a key enabler of sustainable development. President Alice Gast described the intersection of AI and sustainability as essential to global progress, calling for ethical frameworks that guide the technology’s use for public good.
Supporting this ecosystem, new programmes such as the Science and Technology Venture Capital Fellowships aim to connect investors with emerging ventures in science and deep tech. As the UK pursues its AI-led growth strategy, the Centre for AI-Driven Innovation will play a central role in shaping a future that combines global leadership with responsible practice.
The initiative reflects a broader ambition to embed ethical, collaborative and high-impact innovation across the UK economy, setting the stage for AI to deliver benefits at scale.
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