The ESRC has issued a call for research proposals on Next Generation Services under the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund. The website for the call can be found at https://esrc.ukri.org/funding/funding-opportunities/iscf-next-generation-services-research-programme/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery. Here are some of the highlights:
Call announced 18 May 2018
Proposals due 18 July 2018
Proposals of up to £1.25 million (100% full economic cost) are invited for interdisciplinary research grants over 2.5 years.
The aim is to identify the potential opportunities offered by the application of new AI technologies in the high value services sector (and also the barriers to adoption)
The focus in the first instance will be on the accountancy, legal services and insurance industries.
Looking at both technical and socio-economic challenges.
To draw on core technical areas relevant to AI such as computer and data science and maths but also relevant disciplines from the social sciences and humanities; these may include, but are not limited to, behavioural and management science, economics, finance, law, ethics and anthropology.
Although academic led, proposals are required to have the support and active engagement of at least one industry partner from the designated industries to ensure the direct relevance of the proposed research programme
The Next Generation Services Research Programme is one of two elements to this Challenge, the other element being a Collaborative Research and Development (CR&D) programme, aimed at business-led consortia with the object of accelerating the adoption of AI technologies in the targeted sectors. A requirement of successful proposals to the Research Programme will be that they engage proactively with the Collaborative R&D element of the Challenge.