Initiative overview
Published in February 2026, the UKRI AI Strategy represents the organisation's biggest single targeted investment area for the spending period 2026–2030. It was developed in alignment with the UK Government's AI Opportunities Action Plan, the DSIT AI for Science Strategy (November 2025), and the UK's Industrial Strategy. The strategy sets out six priority action areas: (1) advancing core AI technologies; (2) transforming research through AI; (3) developing skills and talent; (4) accelerating innovation for economic growth; (5) championing responsible AI; and (6) building data and infrastructure capacity — including up to £250 million for cloud compute and £36 million to upgrade Cambridge's DAWN supercomputer. Key investments include up to £137 million for AI-enabled scientific discovery via DSIT's AI for Science Strategy. UKRI is uniquely positioned as the only public body investing across the entire value chain from skills and infrastructure to technology development, uniting universities, industry and government.



























