The government has announced £13 million to "revolutionise" AI healthcare research in the UK.

22 winning university and NHS trust projects are set to receive a share of the money, which is to be spent on activities such as the development of a semi-autonomous surgical robotics platform for the removal of tumours and the ability to predict the likelihood of a person’s future health problems based on their existing conditions.

£500,000 will go to the University College London’s Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences, which is working on how the early development of this technology could revolutionise surgery for one of the most common types of brain tumour. The project is developing a real-time AI ‘assisted decision support framework’ to improve surgical outcomes, including avoiding complications following surgery and shortening recovery time for patients.

Technology Secretary, Michelle Donelan, said: "By leading on the international stage, we will improve lives at home. AI will revolutionise the way we live, including our healthcare system. That’s why we’re backing the UK’s fantastic innovators to save lives by boosting the frontline of our NHS and tackling the major health challenges of our time."

Health and social care secretary, Steve Barclay, said: "AI can help the NHS improve outcomes for patients, with breakthroughs leading to earlier diagnosis, more effective treatments, and faster recovery. It’s already being used in the NHS in a number of areas, from improving diagnosis and treatment for stroke patients to identifying those most at risk of a heart attack.

"This funding is yet another boost to help the UK lead the way in healthcare research. It comes on top of the £21 million we recently announced for trusts to roll out the latest AI diagnostic tools and £123 million invested in 86 promising tech through our AI in Health and Care Awards."

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay