Google DeepMind & UK Government Expand AI Partnership for Science
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Google DeepMind, led by Demis Hassabis, Lila Ibrahim, Pushmeet Kohli, and Owen Larter, is expanding its partnership with the UK government to accelerate scientific progress and public service modernization through artificial intelligence. This collaboration will center on providing UK scientists with priority access to frontier AI models—including AlphaEvolve, AlphaGenome, AI co-scientist, and WeatherNext—designed to enhance scientific capacity and tackle complex challenges. Building on the UK’s history of technological innovation, Google DeepMind will also establish its first automated science laboratory in the UK in 2026, focused on materials science research and integrated with the Gemini system, with the goal of significantly shortening material discovery timelines.
Accelerating Scientific Discovery with AI Google DeepMind is establishing a new automated science laboratory in the UK, opening in 2026, specifically for materials science research. This lab will be fully integrated with the Gemini AI model, utilizing robotics to synthesize and characterize hundreds of materials daily. The goal is to accelerate the discovery of transformative new materials – such as ambient-temperature superconductors – that could reduce costs and enable innovations in areas like medical imaging, energy storage, and computer chips. AI tools like AlphaEvolve, AlphaGenome, and WeatherNext are being prioritized for access by UK scientists. AlphaFold has already aided nearly 190,000 UK researchers in areas like crop resilience and antimicrobial resistance. These “AI for Science” models – including coding agents and those focused on DNA understanding and weather forecasting – are designed to enhance scientific capacity, allowing researchers to tackle complex problems at an unprecedented scale, much like traditional tools such as microscopes and telescopes. Beyond research, AI is showing promise in education. A pilot program in Northern Ireland demonstrated that teachers using Gemini tools saved up to 10 hours per week. Furthermore, a recent randomized controlled trial indicated that students receiving short AI tutoring sessions were 5.5 percentage points more likely to solve novel problems compared to students tutored by humans. These findings support the potential of AI to both enhance learning and reduce educator workloads. Enhancing Education and Teacher Support A key focus of the partnership is enhancing education through AI tools, specifically demonstrated by a pilot program in Northern Ireland. Teachers participating in the C2k program saved up to 10 hours per week utilizing tools like Gemini, streamlining administrative tasks and lesson planning. This impact extends to student learning; an exploratory randomized controlled trial showed students receiving short AI tutoring sessions were 5.5 percentage points more likely to solve novel problems compared to those with human tutors. To further scale this educational impact, research is being supported to understand how AI tools affect teaching and learning. Google DeepMind intends to tailor its Gemini model, leveraging LearnLM, to complement England’s national curriculum. The goal is to deliver state-of-the-art educational experiences while simultaneously reducing educator workloads, allowing teachers to focus on individualized student support and fostering a thriving learning environment. Beyond classroom support, Google DeepMind is providing access to “AI for Science” models to UK scientists. These include AlphaEvolve, AlphaGenome, AI co-scientist, and WeatherNext. The establishment of Google DeepMind’s first automated science laboratory in the UK in 2026, focused on materials science, will accelerate scientific discovery by synthesizing and characterizing hundreds of materials daily – potentially unlocking transformative technologies like ambient temperature superconductors. AI can augment the classroom experience, especially when grounded in learning science.
Modernizing Public Services with AI AI is being leveraged to modernize public services through direct collaboration with UK government teams. Specifically, the UK Government’s AI Incubator team (i.AI) is trialing “Extract”—a tool powered by Gemini—to digitize old planning documents. Currently, converting a single document takes up to two hours; Extract reduces this to just 40 seconds, significantly speeding up decision-making timelines and improving service efficiency for citizens. Beyond efficiency gains, this partnership aims to apply AI across key sectors including science, education, national security, and public services. Google DeepMind will establish an automated science laboratory in the UK in 2026, focused on materials science research and integrated with Gemini. This lab intends to significantly shorten the timeline for identifying transformative new materials – such as superconductors – that could reduce costs and enable new technologies. AI’s impact on education is also notable. A pilot program in Northern Ireland, using Gemini, demonstrated teachers could save up to 10 hours per week by streamlining administrative work and lesson planning. Furthermore, students receiving short AI tutoring sessions showed a 5.5 percentage point increase in solving novel problems compared to those tutored by humans, highlighting AI’s potential to augment learning and reduce educator workloads.
Advancing National Security and Resilience Advancing national security and resilience is a key focus of the deepened partnership between Google DeepMind and the UK government. This collaboration includes deeper work with the UK AI Security Institute on crucial safety research, specifically addressing explainability, alignment, and societal impact of AI. The goal is to better understand and mitigate potential risks associated with this technology. This proactive approach aims to ensure AI benefits are realized while safeguarding against unforeseen consequences. The partnership also intends to bolster national cyber resilience through AI-enhanced approaches. Tools like Big Sleep and CodeMender will be explored for their ability to identify vulnerabilities and automatically fix code. This proactive cybersecurity strategy seeks to create a more secure future by leveraging AI’s capabilities to defend against digital threats and strengthen critical infrastructure. This builds on existing initiatives like the US-UK Tech Prosperity Deal. Beyond proactive defense, the collaboration aims to improve overall public service efficiency, contributing to national resilience. The UK Government’s i.AI team is trialing Extract, a tool powered by Gemini, to digitize planning documents. Currently taking up to two hours per document, Extract can complete the same task in just 40 seconds, significantly speeding up decision-making timelines and improving service delivery. Source: https://deepmind.google/blog/strengthening-our-partnership-with-the-uk-government-to-support-prosperity-and-security-in-the-ai-era/ Tags: