Zuzanna Stamirowska, CEO and Co-founder, Pathway
Universities as the bedrock of innovation
Academic research lies at the heart of so many transformative technologies and pioneering businesses. From DeepMind to Databricks, and indeed Pathway, many of the most impactful AI companies trace their origins back to university labs. These environments foster exploration driven by curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge, rather than commercial outcomes.
This is particularly critical in AI, where breakthroughs frequently stem from adjacent fields, such as maths, physics, neuroscience, and theoretical computer science. These disciplines thrive in well-funded academic labs, and their findings frequently shape ideas that engineers rely on to build and progress intelligent systems.
When academic environments are underfunded, the result is not simply fewer discoveries. Expertise will gradually erode as experienced academics leave without passing on skills and knowledge. This weakens the talent pipeline and limits mentorship opportunities for future engineers.
The transatlantic divide
On either side of the Atlantic, there are differing views among leaders about the value of public research. The US administration has cut funding to the National Science Foundation (NSF), which is a central pillar of the country’s scientific research infrastructure. This has led to grants being cancelled, labs being closed, and jobs being lost. This is a significant knock to the country’s academic community, and a threat to its overall innovation pipeline.
In contrast, Europe is stepping up. The European Union’s €500 million investment into the Choose Europe for Science initiative, along with national programmes in the UK, France, andNetherlands, signals a coordinated effort to attract top-tier researchers and invigorate science on the continent. For engineers, this could mean more collaborative research, more accessible tools and a richer ecosystem of ideas.
Big Tech’s role in the future of academic research
As public funding recedes in the US, private corporations can step in to fill the gap. There is already a trend of Big Tech funding research projects, sponsoring university courses, and providing compute infrastructure to academic institutions. With even less public funding, universities may become even more reliant on these firms.
This may seem like a pragmatic solution, but it comes with trade-offs. Corporate labs are driven by commercial goals, not scientific intrigue. Breakthroughs are proprietary and research is gated, meaning control is kept in the grips of a few big players and new discoveries aren’t being made from a purely exploratory standpoint.
For engineers working with smaller businesses and startups, there could be reduced access to foundational research and a growing reliance on commercial platforms and tools. While funding from Big Tech could support the future of academic research, it is essential that institutions retain autonomy and a commitment to scientific discovery so that curiosity is not sidelined for revenue.
Lessons from the past
The risks of underinvestment are not hypothetical. According to an FT report, France’s nuclear sector struggled to restart after decades of funding stagnation. When investments were paused, technical expertise within the industry was almost totally lost. The US’s AI sector could face a similar fate if it fails to protect its academic research infrastructure.
The US’s top universities recognise the danger of research funding cuts. Thirteen institutions, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Brown University, and Princeton University, have filed a lawsuit opposing the announcement. However, if these efforts fail and Europe follows through on its vision, there could be a global shift in where academic innovation happens.
Europe’s opportunity
Europe’s renewed investment in public research presents a unique opportunity. If investment is paired with practical support, such as streamlined visa processes and competitive salaries, Europe could become a more attractive destination for researchers and engineers. With deeper collaboration and a stronger talent pipeline, it could become the new epicentre of AI academia.
However, Europe’s ambitions need to be bolstered with more financial action. Europe hasn’t met its goal of spending 3% of GDP on R&D, lagging significantly behind the US, which spent 3.59% of GDP on R&D in 2022. It has been estimated that an additional spend of €750-800 billion each year would be needed for Europe to close the gap and be truly competitive with the US and China’s AI research.
The future for engineers
Whether you’re designing next generation robotics or developing real-time AI systems, engineers are at the heart of emerging technologies. It is therefore critical to understand where innovation is being nurtured and where the next major breakthroughs are going to be born.
