The University of Liverpool and Imperial College London will take the lead on a new £12 million research hub designed to develop state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions for use in chemistry. 

The collaborative hub, which is being launched thanks to a combined investment from the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and consortium partners, is also aiming to increase the rate of adoption of AI in chemistry. AI tools, including machine learning, automation, and robotics could support faster discoveries in the field that address key societal needs.

The AI for Chemistry Hub (AIChemy) will give the chemical sciences community the tools required to make the most of the AI revolution, allowing researchers to provide solutions to global challenges such as net zero emissions and global health. It will bring together experts from 9 UK universities (the University of Liverpool, Imperial College London, Queen’s University Belfast, UCL and the Universities of Cambridge, Manchester, Oxford, Southampton and Strathclyde) along with 15 industry partners.

It's hoped that the hub, which will utilise world-leading facilities such as the Materials Innovation Factory (MIF) at the University of Liverpool and the Institute for Digital Molecular Design and Fabrication (DigiFAB) at Imperial College London, will take the use of AI in chemistry to the next level, from being a niche activity to becoming a core methodolgy in research and development. 

There is huge scope for chemistry researchers to work more effectively with AI researchers, and this new hub will bring together two separate disciplines to build a new cohesive UK research community.

Professor Andy Cooper, Department of Chemistry and Materials Innovation Factory, University of Liverpool

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