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AIRR Compute Opportunity: AI for Science

Published 21 November 2025

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/airr-compute-opportunity-ai-for-science/airr-compute-opportunity-ai-for-science

1. Summary 

Compute is the engine of AI development, and effective allocation of the UK’s sovereign compute infrastructure will be vital to meeting the needs of researchers undertaking critical R&D in our AI for science priority areas. 

Government has made a £1 billion commitment to expand the UK’s compute capacity twenty-fold in the next five years, including the expansion of AI Research Resource (AIRR). Following its formal launch in July 2025, Isambard-AI at the University of Bristol is one of the world’s most powerful supercomputers and, coupled with Dawn at Cambridge, form our national cluster of advanced computers that will provide world-leading AI-specialised compute capacity to public researchers, academia, and industry, including SMEs and startups.

We are opening the first of a series of structured research calls offering 200,000 and 1,000,000 graphics processing unit (GPU) hours compute access to AI for science researchers through the AIRR. We are supporting projects and programmes in the UK’s priority domains for AI-centred scientific research, as set out in our AI for Science strategy.

This represents the first mission-driven scientific research call, aligned with the strategic vision set out in the UK Compute Roadmap. 

2. Eligibility 

Who can apply 

This call is open to high-ambition researchers with AI-focused project proposals in the following priority areas: 

  • material science 
  • nuclear fusion 
  • medical research 
  • engineering biology 
  • quantum technologies

We are also inviting proposals in AI-driven research and scientific discovery. These projects focus on development of new AI models and virtual systems that will enable future automated and autonomous scientific discovery, a strategic objective of the AI for Science strategy.

Applicants must be UK-based for the duration of the project, and either from a:

  • university
  • research organisation eligible for UKRI funding
  • public sector research organisation
  • charity

or

  • UK registered business, with a Companies House registration number

Subsidy control 

All AIRR access routes provide awards in line with the Subsidy Control Act 2022. Further information about the Subsidy requirements can be found within the Subsidy Control Act 2022 (legislation.gov.uk). 

EU State aid rules now only apply in limited circumstances. Please see the Windsor Framework to check if these rules apply to your organisation. 

In the ‘Lead organisation details’ section of your application you will be asked questions to indicate if State Aid or Subsidy applies to your organisation, including your subsidy history. 

If you are unsure about your obligations under the Subsidy Control Act 2022 or the State aid rules, you should take independent legal advice. We are unable to advise on individual eligibility or legal obligations. 

You must always make sure that the resources awarded to you are compliant with all current Subsidy Control legislation applicable in the United Kingdom. 

3. How to apply 

Application and selection criteria 

Applicants are required to submit a project proposal through the AIRRPortal, which includes an AIRRPortal online form containing three sections, not scored by assessors; and the AI for Science application form to be uploaded as supporting documentation.

Apply to use AIRR.

General guidance on using the AIRRPortal can be found at AIRRPortal: how to apply (UKRI guidance).

Applications will be assessed by appointed independent panellists of AI and scientific researchers, and high-performance computing experts.

Criteria to be tested during the selection process: 

  • alignment to the above priority area(s) and highly credible research outcomes 
  • the project has a high degree of ambition and/or there is a significant opportunity that would not be possible without access to the AIRR 
  • previous use of GPU compute and demonstration that progress of research is contingent on scaling up access to compute resource
  • ethical or responsible research and innovation considerations

Go to UKRI Funding Finder website.

4. Deadline 

Please apply by  4pm on Sunday 21 December 2025.

Future opportunities to access compute through the AIRR will be published on this page and via the UKRI Funding Finder webpage.

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