Under a new partnership between the UK government and Google DeepMind, the AI company will open its first automated research lab in the UK.
The lab will be fully integrated with Gemini and will focus particularly on developing new cutting-edge superconductor materials which can carry electricity with zero resistance.
New superconductors could be invaluable when it comes to delivering low-cost medical imaging, and other new material discoveries could help to ensure the next generation of computer chips are more efficient as they power the next wave of breakthroughs while supporting lower overall running costs. This investment in UK science could also lead to new technologies that transform transport and accelerate the path to net zero.
The partnership marks Google’s latest backing of the UK’s tech and science sector, following hot on the heels of an agreement earlier this summer to help modernise outdated government IT, and a £5 billion investment to support our AI infrastructure and research efforts which came ahead of President Trump’s state visit.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “This partnership will make sure we harness developments in AI for public good so that everyone feels the benefits.
“That means using AI to tackle everyday challenges like cutting energy bills thanks to cheaper, greener energy and making our public services more efficient so that taxpayers’ money is spent on what matters most to people.
“This is national renewal in action – driving innovation to make our country stronger and fairer for everyone.”
The partnership could also lead to:
• Clean energy for the future: Google DeepMind will work with the government and UK scientific community on cutting-edge AI-enabled research in areas like fusion energy – a way of generating power by mimicking the Sun – paving the way for cheaper, greener energy to power homes and businesses
• Smarter public services: the potential for a new AI system, Gemini for Government, to cut bureaucracy, automate routine tasks, and free up civil servants to focus on what matters most – improving services for people
• AI in education: Google DeepMind will seek to develop a version of Gemini to help teachers focus on what they do best: teaching. This would be grounded in the national curriculum and tested for safe use – supporting research into AI in education and its impact on teaching and learning
• Responsible AI development: Google DeepMind will work closely with the UK’s AI Security Institute on foundational research in key areas to help ensure AI is developed safely and benefits everyone
UK scientists will also be given priority access to Google DeepMind’s existing cutting-edge AI models as part of the deal, harnessing some of the world’s most powerful tech to deliver their work. This includes tools like AlphaGenome – using AI to sequence strands of DNA and spot potential weaknesses which could lead to disease – and AI co-scientist, supporting researchers to generate new theories and research proposals which could help to deliver vital discoveries.
These tools can be likened to an AI microscope – designed to support scientific discovery and enabling researchers to tackle problems of unprecedented complexity and scale. The AlphaFold tool for example, which predicts protein structures, has already furthered work in a range of areas such as crop resilience and antimicrobial resistance. The Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology and Google DeepMind will now work together to determine priority access.
Demis Hassabis, Google DeepMind Co-Founder and CEO said: “AI has incredible potential to drive a new era of scientific discovery and improve everyday life.
“We’re excited to deepen our collaboration with the UK government and build on the country’s rich heritage of innovation to advance science, strengthen security, and deliver tangible improvements for citizens.”
