UKRI Transformative Sustainable AI Technologies 2026
UKRI offers grants of up to £602,500 for high risk research on making AI systems more sustainable. Research software engineers can lead. Deadline 10 November 2026.
Transformative Sustainable AI Technologies is a UKRI funding opportunity under its AI programme. It pays for speculative, high risk research that aims for a step change in the sustainability of future AI systems.
The total fund is £12,050,000. A project can have a full economic cost of up to £602,500, and UKRI pays 80% of that cost. Projects must start on 1 February 2027 and can last up to 24 months.
The scope covers the efficiency, resilience, reliability and long term maintainability of AI. The call names hardware, algorithms, software and system design as possible routes.
Applicants must be based at a UK research organisation that is eligible for UKRI funding. Research technical professionals, including research software engineers, can lead or co lead a project. International researchers can join only as an international project co lead under the UKRI agreements with RCN or IIASA. Each person can be on at most two applications and lead only one.
Applications go through the UKRI Funding Service and close at 4pm UK time on 10 November 2026. The call uses distributed peer review, so applicants also review other proposals.