Addressing human challenges through AI partnerships

University-business collaborations are demonstrating the limitless potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in creating solutions to society’s problems.

Global attention has been grabbed by the rapid developments in generative AI technologies – such as ChatGPT and DALL-E, raising concerns about the potential negative impacts on people, jobs and society.

But, in its latest member showcasing booklet – Artificial Intelligence: the present and future – the National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB) highlights eight exciting examples of partnerships with industry to demonstrate the power of AI when used in creative industries, healthcare and green technology.

Examples include:

• Collaboration between the University of Birmingham and design software specialists Autodesk to use generative technology to create better knee implants to treat osteoarthritis
• Brunel University London teaming up with Voltvision, a digital solutions company, to create AI that can improve the efficiency of industrial machinery
• University of Surrey forming a partnership with the BBC, Lancaster University and small and medium sized creative businesses to create personalised media content.

Dr Joe Marshall, Chief Executive of the NCUB, said:

“The rate of change in AI technologies in the last few years – even months – is creating concerns about the impact they could have on society.

“However, as we can see from our booklet, there are many positive uses of AI in improving healthcare, tackling climate change and even managing museum collections. These university-business collaborations are already combining the best knowledge of academia and industry to demonstrate the limitless breadth of applications provided by AI technologies.

“There are undoubtedly risks involved with the development of AI but, if used responsibly, it has enormous potential to improve lives, grow the economy and support responses to major societal challenges.”

The UK’s AI industry is thriving, employing more than 50,000 people and contributing £3.7 billion to the economy in 2022.

The Government recently published a white paper – AI regulation: a pro-innovation approach – unveiling what it described as “a world-leading approach to innovation” that will “turbocharge growth”.^[2] The aim of the white paper is to enable the UK to be at the front of the pack in the global race to capture the societal and economic value of AI technologies through a ‘pro-innovation’ approach to regulation. However, to do that responsibly, its aim is to manage the societal risks that AI poses, thereby building the trust of the public in the role that AI can play in our economy and society.

In its Spring Budget 2023, the Government allocated funding for quantum computing – harnessing the power to collect data and perform complex calculations – which is vital for further development of AI.