Oxford University Partners with Aioi R&D Lab to train AI experts in machine learning and robotics

The University of Oxford has announced a new partnership with Aioi R&D Lab - Oxford to offer students the chance to work on live, industry-led AI projects. 

The collaboration will allow graduates from Oxford’s Autonomous Intelligent Machines and Systems (AIMS) Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) to engage in real-world problem-solving across key AI research areas, including machine learning, robotics, and cyber-physical systems.

Established in 2014, the AIMS CDT provides a four-year doctoral programme to equip students with theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience. The addition of a 10-week internship with Aioi R&D Lab - Oxford will support students’ understanding by involving them in active AI projects that are designed to tackle global challenges.

Professor Michael Osborne, Director of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Autonomous Intelligent Machines and Systems, described the partnership as an opportunity for students to bridge the gap between academia and industry:

“The AIMS CDT is immensely grateful to the Aioi R&D Lab - Oxford for its support. Building on an existing rich partnership between the Lab and the University of Oxford, this support will provide AIMS’s superb students with an opportunity to both pursue cutting-edge research and to contribute meaningfully toward creating social value via digital transformation. Partnerships like this are central to AIMS and are vital in driving forward scientific development and impact.

“The types of projects that students work on can vary wildly, from using machine learning algorithms to produce influential papers on the effectiveness of different Covid-19 interventions, to leveraging their knowledge of AI to investigate the moon’s shadows, and track sea turtles in Cape Verde.”

The projects undertaken during the internship will span various applications of AI. These include developing machine learning algorithms to assess the effectiveness of interventions during the Covid-19 pandemic and leveraging AI technology to explore natural phenomena such as the movement of shadows on the moon and tracking sea turtles in Cape Verde.

The Aioi R&D Lab – Oxford, a joint venture between Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance (ANDI), Aioi Nissay Dowa Europe (AND-E), and AI firm Mind Foundry, is dedicated to using AI to create solutions for global issues. 

Junichi Ikegami, CEO of Aioi R&D Lab - Oxford, said:

”The mission of the Lab is to bring humans and AI together to create shared value around the world. By harnessing the power of AI, we are pioneering game-changing insurance solutions and addressing the most pressing global challenges of today and tomorrow, from autonomous mobility and climate change to ageing populations.

“The Lab is deeply committed to investing in talent and fostering a collaborative environment where researchers and innovators can work together to translate cutting-edge research into practical solutions.  By nurturing the next generation of AI experts, we aim to create a more secure and prosperous future for all.”

One key area of research focuses on developing AI-powered insurance solutions tailored for autonomous vehicles to make driving safer and more sustainable by detecting early signs of cognitive decline in older drivers.

Brian Mullins, CEO of Mind Foundry and a board member at Aioi R&D Lab – Oxford, emphasised the importance of nurturing AI talent:

“The brilliant minds emerging from Oxford University have been instrumental in shaping the field of Artificial Intelligence as we know it today. We are proud to continue this legacy of innovation by supporting AIMS students in their career journeys and utilising this Lab as a bridge that connects cutting-edge academic ideas with the world’s most important problems.”