Competition Supports UK SMEs Developing Frontier Artificial Intelligence Technologies

Businesses invited to test feasibility of advanced AI and machine learning innovations

A new competition is set to support UK small and medium-sized enterprises developing advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies.

The AI Champions Frontier AI Phase 1 Competition aims to validate the technical feasibility of ambitious AI innovations that could enable new products, services or platforms. The focus is on systems that demonstrate state of the art performance against recognised benchmarks or introduce capabilities not previously seen. Advances may arise from model or system architecture, training methodology or core control and learning algorithms.

Phase 1 forms the opening stage of a three phase, stage gated pipeline designed to reduce technical risk and produce evidence that a proposed approach works in practice. Projects must begin at Technology Readiness Level 3 or below and concentrate on technology and methodology development. Validation activities may use synthetic or simulated data where appropriate.

Support is intended for proof of concept prototypes, testing against predefined metrics, evidence of technical novelty, a rationale for scaling and preparation of a technical white paper.

A minimum of £3 million has been allocated for feasibility and industrial research projects. Each project must have total eligible costs between £150,000 and £250,000.

The competition is open to single applicants that are UK registered micro, small or medium-sized enterprises.