UK invests 36m in AI supercomputer to boost research and startup innovation

"The UK Government has announced a £36 million investment to expand access to advanced artificial intelligence computing, backing a major upgrade of the University of Cambridge's DAWN supercomputer. Ministers say the move will give British researchers and startups free access to high-performance AI computing power that is typically dominated by global technology giants, helping to level the playing field for smaller teams working on public-interest innovation."

"The funding will increase DAWN's capacity sixfold within months, allowing hundreds more research projects to run alongside the 350 already using the system. The government says the upgraded supercomputer will support breakthroughs in personalised cancer treatment, climate modelling and earlier disease detection in primary care. British scientists are already using DAWN to identify which parts of a tumour the immune system is most likely to attack, refine flood prediction models for local authorities and develop AI tools that could help GPs diagnose conditions earlier."

"AI minister Kanishka Narayan said the investment addressed a longstanding barrier for UK innovation. "The UK is home to world-class AI talent, but too often our most ambitious researchers and startups have been held back by a lack of access to computing power," he said. "This investment gives British innovators the tools they need to compete with the biggest players and build AI that delivers real benefits, from healthcare to climate resilience.""

£36 million will expand the University of Cambridge DAWN supercomputer sixfold within months to provide free high-performance AI computing to British researchers and startups. The capacity increase will allow hundreds more research projects to run alongside the 350 already using the system. The upgraded supercomputer will support personalised cancer treatment, climate modelling and earlier disease detection in primary care. British scientists are using DAWN to map tumour regions targeted by the immune system, refine flood-prediction models for local authorities and develop AI tools to help GPs diagnose conditions earlier. Industry reaction is mixed, with questions about whether the funding matches global AI investment and calls for clearer outcome governance.

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