UCL to Lead £8m AI Lab Boosting National Accessibility

Key Points

• UCL has been named to lead the new Science of Fundamental AI Research (SOFAIR) Lab, working alongside Cambridge, Oxford and Edinburgh universities
• The lab forms part of a £60 million scheme funded by UKRI’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to establish two UK AI research labs
• SOFAIR will focus on building open-source AI systems that are less reliant on a small number of dominant architectures and providers
• The lab is led by UCL’s Professor David Barber and draws on expertise from computer science, mathematics, statistics and neuroscience
• A counterpart lab, the British Open-ended Learning and Discovery (BOLD) Lab, will be led by the University of Oxford, with UCL and Imperial College London also involved
• AI and Online Safety Minister Kanishka Narayan formally launched SOFAIR at the Royal Academy of Engineering in London on Tuesday 23 June
• Each lab will receive an initial £8 million, with further funding subject to an assessment in autumn 2026
• The announcement marks the first major investment under UKRI’s AI Strategy
• UCL has framed the lab as central to reducing the UK’s dependence on overseas AI model providers and strengthening sovereign capability

North London (Britain Today News) June 23, 2026 – UCL is to lead a major new artificial intelligence research lab aimed at developing open-source AI systems and reducing the UK’s reliance on a small number of dominant technology providers, it has been announced.

The university will head the Science of Fundamental AI Research (SOFAIR) Lab, working in partnership with the universities of Cambridge, Oxford and Edinburgh. The initiative forms part of a £60 million government-backed scheme designed to fund two new UK labs dedicated to rethinking how artificial intelligence works, learns and is built.

What Is the SOFAIR Lab and Why Was It Created?

The SOFAIR Lab has been established to address what researchers describe as fundamental weaknesses in current AI systems, many of which rely on a narrow set of architectures trained on vast quantities of data and requiring extensive computing infrastructure. The lab’s core aim is to expand and diversify the technological foundations underpinning AI, making the resulting systems more open, efficient and widely usable.

The project is funded through the UK Research and Innovation’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (UKRI-EPSRC) as part of a wider £60 million commitment to fundamental AI research. It represents one of two flagship labs created under this scheme, the other being based at the University of Oxford.

Who Is Leading the SOFAIR Lab and What Expertise Will It Draw On?

SOFAIR will be led by UCL’s Professor David Barber, who will bring together researchers spanning computer science, mathematics, statistics and neuroscience. The multidisciplinary approach is intended to generate new AI architectures, including systems designed to operate on widely available hardware rather than the specialised, high-cost infrastructure that much of today’s leading AI depends upon.

The intention, according to the university, is to make cutting-edge AI technology more accessible to a broader range of researchers and institutions, rather than concentrating capability among a handful of well-resourced organisations.

What Has Professor David Barber Said About the New Lab?

Professor Barber, of UCL Computer Science, said the university was “very excited” about leading the initiative. He stated:

“While current AI systems are impressive, many still suffer from basic issues such as inaccurate responses to questions. These systems often use similar underlying architectures, so SOFAIR will bring together the broader sciences and fresh ideas to create a new generation of open-source models.”

He added that the goal was to

“reduce dependency on the small number of model providers, boosting UK sovereignty and its position as a global player in AI.”

How Does This Fit Into UCL’s Wider AI Research Strategy?

UCL has positioned itself as a significant force in artificial intelligence research and innovation, with numerous AI-focused startups and spin-out businesses originating from work conducted at the university. UCL has also stated it is working to shape the UK’s broader approach to AI development, including the safeguards surrounding its use and its long-term future.

The university’s AI for People and Planet framework sets out a commitment to exploring AI’s potential as a force for good, with UCL stating it intends to work alongside international partners to pursue this aim.

What Did UCL’s Vice-Provost Say About the Lab’s Purpose?

Professor Geraint Rees, UCL’s Vice-Provost for Research, Innovation & Global Engagement, drew a distinction between SOFAIR’s remit and that of commercial AI developers. He said:

“Commercial AI labs are, understandably, focused on near-term applications. SOFAIR exists to do the work they can’t: fundamental research into the structural limits of current AI systems, work that benefits UK citizens but doesn’t yet have a commercial market.”

Professor Rees added that EPSRC’s investment reflected the seriousness with which the UK is treating foundational AI research, stating:

“UCL is proud to be part of that effort, and we intend to use SOFAIR to ask harder questions about AI than the market currently has any incentive to ask.”

When and Where Was the Lab Officially Launched?

The SOFAIR Lab was formally launched by Kanishka Narayan, the Minister for AI and Online Safety, at the Royal Academy of Engineering on Carlton Terrace in London, on Tuesday 23 June. The launch date coincided with what would have been the 114th birthday of mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing, a point referenced directly by the minister during his remarks.

What Did the AI and Online Safety Minister Say at the Launch?

Speaking at the launch event, Kanishka Narayan said:

“We are only just beginning to unlock AI’s huge potential to grow our economy and improve our public services. With our world-leading universities and deep pool of AI expertise, Britain can set the agenda for what comes next.”

He continued:

“These new labs will lead the world in the fundamental work that is set to make AI cheaper, more practical and easier to adopt so more businesses and public services across the UK can benefit.”

The minister further stated:

“And by building this capability here at home, backed by our world leading universities, we’re strengthening our own expertise, reducing reliance on others and securing Britain’s place at the forefront of this technology – fittingly announced on what would have been Alan Turing’s 114th birthday.”

What Is the BOLD Lab and How Does It Differ From SOFAIR?

Alongside SOFAIR, the scheme has also established the British Open-ended Learning and Discovery (BOLD) Lab, which will be led by the University of Oxford, with involvement from UCL and Imperial College London. While SOFAIR is focused on rethinking the underlying architecture of AI systems, BOLD has been tasked with rethinking how AI systems learn.

According to the announcement, today’s AI systems can struggle to cope with the complexity of real-world environments. BOLD has been set up to develop systems capable of working alongside humans, navigating physical environments, and operating without the need for vast centralised computing power.
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How Will the Two Labs Work With Industry and the Public Sector?

Both SOFAIR and BOLD are intended to build and expand partnerships spanning academia, industry and the public sector, with the explicit goal of translating fundamental research advances into practical, real-world impact. The labs will also provide targeted support for entrepreneurship and spin-out activity, aiming to actively support the commercialisation of research emerging from their work.

This dual focus, on both foundational science and applied commercial outcomes, reflects the broader ambitions of the UKRI AI Strategy, under which this funding has been allocated.

How Much Funding Will Each Lab Receive?

Each of the two labs will initially receive £8 million in funding. Further funding will be made available depending on the outcome of an assessment scheduled for autumn 2026. The investment represents the first major funding commitment made under UKRI’s AI Strategy, a programme that sets out a long-term vision for fundamental AI research intended to benefit both the UK economy and wider society.

What Has UKRI’s AI Programme Lead Said About the UK’s AI Position?

Professor Charlotte Deane, Senior Responsible Owner for the UKRI AI Programme and Executive Chair of EPSRC, addressed the UK’s standing in global AI research. She said:

“The UK is already one of the world’s leading nations in AI research.”

She added:

“We are one of the few countries in the world with all the right ingredients, from a deep pool of top AI experts to world-class universities.”

Professor Deane concluded:

“These labs will put that advantage to work, backing the bold, high-reward ideas that can shape the future of AI. We look forward to working with the labs to maximise the benefits for the UK.”

What Happens Next for SOFAIR and BOLD?

With both labs now formally launched, attention will turn to their early research output and the autumn 2026 funding assessment, which will determine whether additional money is allocated beyond the initial £8 million each lab has received. The performance of both SOFAIR and BOLD during this period is likely to be viewed as an early test of the UKRI AI Strategy’s broader ambitions to position the UK as a leading nation in fundamental AI research, distinct from the commercially-driven work dominating much of the global AI sector.