UKRI Enabling AI adoption across science and engineering (Grant)

Apply for funding for ambitious and exploratory projects bringing together AI and domain expertise. Projects will have the potential to unlock new opportunities for applying AI to research challenges in priority science and engineering disciplines. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for UKRI funding. Total funding: £5 million Maximum award: £250,000 Location: National Who can apply: Public Sector, Non-profit, Private Sector Closing date: 2026-12-01 16:00 (UK time) Eligibility This opportunity is open to organisations with standard eligibility. Check if your organisation is eligible. UKRI individual eligibility rules apply. For full details, visit UKRI’s eligibility page. International researchers As Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is a lead funder for this funding opportunity, international researchers can only apply as ‘project co-lead (international)’ as part of an applications making use of the UKRI-RCN Money Follows Cooperation agreement or the UKRI-IIASA agreement. You should include all other international collaborators (or UK partners not based at approved organisations) as project partners. Resubmissions We will not accept uninvited resubmissions of projects that have been submitted to UKRI or any other funder. Find out more about EPSRC’s resubmissions policy. Equality, diversity and inclusion We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers. We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes: - career breaks - support for people with caring responsibilities - flexible working - alternative working patterns UKRI can offer disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process. Summary Apply for funding for ambitious and exploratory projects bringing together AI and domain expertise. Projects will have the potential to unlock new opportunities for applying artificial intelligence (AI) to important research challenges in priority science and engineering disciplines. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)funding. The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £250,000. UKRI will fund 80% of the FEC. Projects must be no more than one year in duration with a fixed start date of 26 April 2027. Objectives Demand management Demand management is not currently being applied to this funding opportunity. However, should the level of interest exceed what can be managed within the assessment process, UKRI may introduce limits on the number of applications that can be submitted. Further details will be clearly communicated where this is the case. UKRI encourages organisations to support applicants in preparing well-planned, high-quality applications that are competitive for funding relative to the fundin Dates Assessment process We reserve the right to alter the following process if this funding opportunity is oversubscribed.We will assess your application using the following process. Distributed peer review All applications for the ‘Enabling AI adoption across science and engineering’ funding opportunity will undergo distributed peer review (DPR). In DPR, applicants are also assessors and review other applications submitted to the same funding opportunity to decide who gets funding. Each application How to apply Click https://funding-service.ukri.org/OPP1328/apply/1355 on the UKRI Funding Service to apply.We are running this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service so please ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions system.The project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, but we expect all team members and project partners to contribute to the application.Only the lead researc