Transformative sustainable AI technologies 2026 Grant

About this grant

UKRI is funding speculative and high-risk research projects aimed at delivering a step change in the sustainability of future AI systems, under the flagship UKRI IS8 AI Programme. The opportunity has a total fund of £12,050,000 and is intended as the first in a broader programme ensuring the UK leads in sustainable-by-design AI. The problem addressed is the rapidly growing computational demand of AI, which increases energy use, resource consumption and environmental impact. Projects should consider technological innovations across the AI stack, including compute, IT infrastructure, algorithms and data, with examples such as novel energy-efficient algorithms and architectures, smaller task-specific models, AI for resource-constrained environments, hardware-software co-design, and repairable hardware designed for critical materials recovery. The funding supports speculative, risk-tolerant research that aims to disrupt existing sustainable AI research or create new areas, with applicants expected to justify why the work cannot be funded through responsive-mode routes. Projects are not expected to produce tangible outcomes such as new models or spinouts within two years, and failure is acceptable if it yields learning. Work that is primarily benchmarking, incremental, a continuation of existing projects, majority non-technical (purely social, environmental, legal, policy or ethical studies) or replicating industry is excluded. Funding covers salary contributions for project leads and co-leads, research and technical staff, project management, research consumables including compute, travel for cohort activities, data preservation and dissemination, estates and indirect costs. PhD studentships and equipment over £25,000 per item are not funded. Projects must start on 1 February 2027 and last up to 24 months, with no non-people-related no-cost extensions. Successful teams are expected to join cohort activities and knowledge exchange with the Royal Academy of Engineering-linked community.

Eligibility

Applicants must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for UKRI funding and must meet UKRI individual eligibility rules. The opportunity is open to research groups and individuals, and specifically welcomes applications led by research technical professionals, including research software engineers, involved in delivering digital research infrastructure. Digital RTPs may be project lead or project co-lead. Researcher co-leads are encouraged where they make a substantial intellectual contribution. International researchers may only apply as project co-lead (international) under the UKRI-RCN Money Follows Cooperation agreement or the UKRI-IIASA agreement; other international collaborators should be project partners. Individuals may be involved in no more than two applications, and only one as project lead. Uninvited resubmissions of projects previously submitted to UKRI or other funders are not accepted. Only the lead research organisation may submit. Applications must be made through the UKRI Funding Service, not Je-S. Projects are restricted to the UK and the technical sustainable AI scope described.

How it's scored

Applications are assessed through a distributed peer review process in which teams must name at least two members to participate, including the project lead. Assessment considers the ambition, speculative and high-risk nature, and potential for high reward and step change in sustainable AI; the technology-led focus and pathway to advancing the AI value chain; the team's breadth and depth of expertise and capability to deliver, including any job-sharing arrangements; and justification for why the work cannot be supported via other routes. Costs must be fully justified and proportionate to project ambition. The source page does not specify numeric scoring weightings or full panel composition.

Key requirements

• ✓Applicant must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for UKRI funding
• ✓Project must focus on speculative and high-risk research with potential for step-change in AI sustainability
• ✓Deadline for application is 2026-11-10

Funder contact

The notice names a programme contact you can speak to before applying.

Frequently asked questions

How much funding does UK Research and Innovation offer?

Transformative sustainable AI technologies offers up to £603K.

When is the Transformative sustainable AI technologies deadline?

Applications close 10 Nov 2026 16:00.

Who can apply for Transformative sustainable AI technologies?

Eligibility covers organisations in GB; university, research-institution. See the eligibility criteria above for the full conditions.

Relevant sectors

About this sector

Climate software and data funding supports emissions accounting, climate risk analytics, Earth observation, digital MRV and tools for planners. It is offered as innovation grants, public contracts for data services and support from technology programmes. Buyers generally look for data quality, interoperability and evidence that users rely on the tool.