digiLab launches theLab to develop safe UK AI systems
Exeter-based artificial intelligence firm digiLab has launched a new research unit, theLab, that will focus on safe, uncertainty-aware AI systems for use in critical sectors of the UK economy.
The new initiative will focus on methods for assessing and quantifying uncertainty in AI models. It will target applications in areas such as clean energy, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, defence and national infrastructure.
The UK government estimates that the domestic AI sector generated £23.9 billion in revenue in the most recent year. It also reports that sector revenue rose by nearly 70% compared with the previous year and that the industry employs about 86,000 people.
digiLab said theLab will act as a dedicated research and development hub for what it describes as trustworthy AI. The unit will bring together expertise in uncertainty quantification, machine learning and data science.
The researchers will develop systems that express their confidence in their predictions. They will also work on models that provide explanations for decisions and that support clear lines of accountability.
digiLab has set three core priorities for theLab. The first is the use of uncertainty quantification across AI workflows. The second is the development of what it calls Specialist Lightweight Intelligence Models, or SLIMs. The third is the design of human-guided systems that keep experts closely involved in decisions.
SLIMs are AI models that digiLab describes as small, targeted and risk-aware. The company said it aims to keep such models sovereign and secure for clients in sensitive sectors.
The human-guided strand of work will look at ways specialists can oversee and challenge AI outputs. The aim is to maintain people "in the loop" in high-stakes environments.
Dr Andrew Corbett, Director of AI at digiLab, said the company sees a shift in expectations of the technology.
"At digiLab, we believe the next generation of AI must be as reliable as it is revolutionary, theLab allows us to explore the frontiers of what's possible - building intelligent systems that combine transparency, scientific rigour, and human insight, so organisations can act with confidence when uncertainty matters most," said Corbett.
The firm said the new unit aligns with wider UK ambitions for secure and sovereign AI. It said its research will focus on systems that reinforce rather than undermine essential services and infrastructure.
digiLab also develops a software platform called The Uncertainty Engine. The platform is designed for the deployment of explainable AI at scale in organisations with safety or regulatory demands.
The company said theLab will sit alongside this existing platform work. It said the unit will concentrate on early-stage research that can later move into operational products.
As part of the launch, digiLab has appointed former university research leader Dr Katie Finch as Director of theLab. Finch previously served as Assistant Director for Digital Research and Head of Research Software and Analytics at the University of Exeter.
At Exeter, Finch established the institution's Research Software Engineering group. The team supported academic projects with software development, data analysis and analytics.
Finch will now lead digiLab's research agenda within theLab. Her role will include setting strategy, building partnerships and overseeing interdisciplinary projects.
"I'm thrilled to be joining digiLab at such an exciting point in its journey, theLab represents a bold step forward for the UK's AI capability - a space where world-class research meets real-world application. My focus will be on accelerating our research agenda, growing our partnerships, and ensuring our work delivers meaningful, trustworthy innovation that strengthens national resilience and helps the UK lead in sovereign, responsible AI," said Finch.
Initial work within theLab spans several fields. Projects include AI-driven analytics for coral reef restoration, methods for cybersecurity model assurance and sensor-placement algorithms for nuclear fusion systems.
The coral reef project will focus on data analysis for restoration efforts. The cybersecurity work will focus on verifying AI models used to detect threats. The nuclear fusion project will examine where to place sensors in fusion experiments and facilities.
digiLab said these early projects reflect its interest in both environmental and industrial applications. It said each initiative will test methods for handling complex, sparse, or incomplete data.
The firm positions theLab as part of a wider research infrastructure for UK AI. It said the unit will support innovation in areas where errors and unexamined uncertainty can have significant consequences.
The company expects theLab's portfolio to expand as more organisations seek AI systems that explain their reasoning and quantify risk. It said future work will continue to focus on systems that address national resilience and security needs.
