Sovereign AI AIRR launch opportunity: call for researchers
Published 30 June 2025
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Compute is the modern agent of change, and an essential lever in transforming the UK鈥檚 AI ecosystem.
The Prime Minister has made a 拢1 billion commitment to expand the UK鈥檚 compute capacity twenty-fold in the next 5 years. The UK鈥檚 new supercomputer, Isambard-AI, will soon be fully operational at the University of Bristol. Boasting 5,444 H100 GPUs, Isambard-AI delivers world-class computing power and 鈥� together with Cambridge鈥檚 鈥淒awn鈥� 鈥� represents delivery of the first 拢300 million phase of the AI Research Resource that will unlock new frontiers in British research and discovery.
Who can apply
This call is open to high-ambition researchers with short term project proposals in the following priority areas:
- fundamental AI research (especially embodied AI)
- AI for biosciences
- AI for materials discovery
- AI for defence and national security
Applicants must be:
- from a research group in a university or public sector research organisation
- UK-based for the duration of the project
Application and selection criteria
Applicants are required to submit a project proposal below along with personal details. Applications will be rapidly judged by an independent panel of AI researchers.
Criteria to be tested during the selection process:
- alignment to the above priority area
- the project has a high degree of ambition and/or there is a significant opportunity that would not be possible without access to Isambard-AI
- previous use of GPU compute to conduct frontier AI research and some demonstration that progress in your organisation is limited by scale of compute, not expertise
How to apply
.
You are invited to answer聽17听辩耻别蝉迟颈辞苍蝉.
This initial sprint and call for projects is being conducted on a pilot basis as the system enters its next phase of testing. Future opportunities to access compute through the UK Sovereign AI Unit will be available - and also through the wider AI Research Resource Programme.
Deadline
This聽call will close at 11:59pm BST on 7 July 2025.