AI Safety Institute - Systemic Safety Grants

Further to the AI Seoul Summit announcement, this programme looks to fund researchers who will collaborate with the UK government to advance systemic approaches to AI Safety. The grants aim to address the risks that AI poses to people and society by looking beyond the capabilities of the models themselves.

  • Opening date: (Midnight)
  • Closing date: (Midnight)

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Contents

Summary

In partnership with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the UK AI Safety Institute (AISI) who sit in the Department of Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) is inviting researchers to submit proposals that will study how to increase societal preparedness and resilience to AI risks. We welcome proposals from researchers across academia, industry and civil society, in every field and at every career stage.We aim to offer ~20 exploratory or proof-of-concept grants of up to £200K, to be spent over a 12-month period. The successful applicants should be ready to commence the grants on 5th February 2025.Applications will be assessed by a two-stage review process consisting of a peer review and sift followed by an expert assessment panel. To submit an application, you do not need to provide a detailed budget breakdown. You will be asked to provide a detailed budget if your application is shortlisted from the sift and advances to the expert assessment panel.You will be notified on the outcome from the initial sift stage by mid-December 2024.If your application advances to the expert assessment panel, then you must provide to UKRI the following additional information by 9th January 2025 or your application will not be considered further for funding:

  1. a detailed budget of the resources and costs for your proposed work.

  2. information on your project partners and their contribution.

  3. additional information as required to perform due diligence.

We will be available to answer your questions or provide advice where possible.  

Please review the applicant guidance, FAQ document, and additional information below (sections 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8) for further details on your eligibility, types of projects we aim to fund, eligible costs, peer review process, research grant's terms and conditions and other key information. Apply by 26th November 2024, 11:59 PM GMT. You will not be able to submit your application after this time.Following the submission of your application to the funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and applications will not be returned for amendment. If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected. If an application is withdrawn prior to peer review or office rejected due to substantive errors in the application, it cannot be resubmitted to the opportunity.

Eligibility

Eligibility 

Research grants must be held at a UK-based organisation that meets the following criteria:

  • a UK-based organisation currently registered as eligible to apply for funding from UKRI

  • any non-academic organisation eligible to receive subsidies from the UK government that will provide an innovation or research environment of international standing

You can confirm the Eligibility of your organisation before submitting your application at https://www.ukri.org/councils/epsrc/guidance-for-applicants/check-if-you-are-eligible-for-funding/

Check if you’re eligible for funding – EPSRC

Eligibility of organisations UKRI has standard organisational eligibility requirements. Check your organisation’s eligibility to apply.

Objectives

The initial goals are: 

  1. To crowdsource ideas from academics, policymakers and entrepreneurs about which challenges AI is likely to pose for societal systems and infrastructure.  

  2. To build a community of researchers with expertise in this area and found a new field of research focused on this problem. This grant will support the wider AI safety ecosystem by funding groups we have little awareness of or so far underestimated. To support closer ways of working between governments and the research community, ensuring that outputs from this research programme (e.g., new technical tools) can be rapidly taken up by governments.

Dates

The programme’s application details will be live in due course. To sign up and receive updates about this grant programme, please follow this link: https://www.aisi.gov.uk/grantsApplications Open - 15th October 2024 Application deadline - 26th November 2024Sift outcomes - By Mid December 2024Expert Assessment Panel - Early January 2025Final award decision - By Mid January 2025SGranting period begins - 5th February 2025

How to apply

Applicants may only submit one bid as the lead organisation via the online portal (https://www.aisi.gov.uk/grants). 

Please direct any clarification questions to the mailbox: AISIgrants@dsit.gov.uk

Supporting information

This programme will fund researchers who will collaborate with the UK government to advance systemic approaches to AI Safety.

Addressing the risks that AI poses to people and society requires looking beyond the capabilities of the models themselves. AI risk management must also include understanding the impact on the systems and infrastructure in which AI models operate.

In partnership with UKRI, the UK AI Safety Institute (AISI)/DSIT will shortly be inviting researchers to submit grant proposals that directly address a problem in systemic AI safety or improve our understanding of systemic AI safety.  We will prioritise applications that offer concrete, actionable approaches to significant systemic risks from AI.