Manchester Prize for AI

The UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has launched the inaugural Manchester Prize

This initiative will see a £1 million grand prize awarded every year to a team of innovators with the most cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) solution for public good.

For the first two years, the prize will focus on solutions to the challenges surrounding:

• energy
• environment
• infrastructure

The challenge is open to all kinds of innovative ideas. This could include things like using AI to:

• make homes use less energy
• help emergency services respond faster to crises
• predict and deal with extreme weather
• keep public services running smoothly
• make farming better
• make manufacturing processes more efficient

The goal is to find creative solutions that make a positive impact on society in the fields of energy, environment and infrastructure

What can you win?

Participants will compete for generous rewards:

• Up to ten teams will be selected as finalists in April 2024, and receive £100,000 each.
• One team will be awarded the grand prize in March 2025, and receive £1 million.

Throughout the finalist phase, teams will receive additional support, including access to free computing power to develop their innovation, matchmaking with partners and open datasets.

Who is eligible?

Entries are encouraged from UK-based individuals, companies, or organisations (including non-profits and charities).

Teams can enter as a consortium of any combination of above, but they need to choose one lead person or organisation. This lead is responsible for contracts and receiving funds.

You can enter with solutions with a developed proof of concept with scope for further development and refinement. Teams can also take an existing solution that’s in the market for one use case, and significantly adapt it to apply to another. Solutions that are already mature technology that is deployed in the market are unlikely to meet the assessment criteria.

Find out more about the Manchester Prize.

Potential applicants can sign up to attend an informational webinar on Thursday 11 January 2024, or catch up on a recording of a previous session.

First published 4 January 2024