Implementing AI that is powerful, ethical, inclusive and focused on real-world impact is the goal of our Institute for Artificial Intelligence

Elena, can you tell us about what led you to work in AI?

My journey in AI began over two decades ago with a fascination for knowledge engineering – a field focused on capturing human expertise and transferring it into computer systems to create trusted knowledge bases.

By organising real-world facts in the same way humans think, through entities and the links between them, knowledge engineering trains AI systems to be more precise and solve problems in a way that humans would. This is not without challenges…

Gathering the right knowledge can be expensive and hard to scale. And, if AI systems are trained on real-world data that reflect existing inequalities, they risk reproducing and reinforcing those same biases.

That pushed me to explore how organisations can share data in ways that benefit everyone. I believe it’s essential for the future of AI that we build a shared pool of free, trusted and accurate knowledge that everyone can access and take advantage of.

Could you tell us about the vision of the Institute for Artificial Intelligence and your role as Co-Director?

I took this leadership role a few months ago with an immense sense of pride and responsibility for what the Institute represents and what it can achieve. The Institute wants to use AI to drive positive change.

To do that, we bring together experts from all disciplines – medicine, law, ethics, policy and more. We provide researchers and educators with the right environment and opportunities to build multidisciplinary teams that can rise to the challenges presented by AI now and in the future.

What role do you see King’s playing in the future of AI?

We’re at a junction in AI. We’ve seen extremely fast advances and a surge in interest from across the globe in deploying AI in ways that affect everyone’s lives. But this has mainly been driven by the private sector.

‘AI will play a significant role in transforming the delivery and experience of learning. We need to ensure our students are fully equipped to meet these new challenges,’ says Elena

At King’s, we believe in a more pluralistic future – what we call AI+– where many voices help decide how AI develops and what it’s used for. The UK holds a wealth of data generated by key sectors, including health, crime, education and financial services. These data hold immense potential for scientific research and innovation, particularly if combined with AI technologies.

King’s is working together with the Open Data Institute on methodologies that bring together widely available public data in a machine-readable format. This will result in an AI-ready National Data Library that can train next-generation AI safely and accurately.

What role does the Institute play in training the next generation of AI leaders?

We know that AI will play a significant role in transforming the delivery and experience of learning, and we need to ensure that our students are fully equipped to meet these new challenges.

Our BSc/MSc in Artificial Intelligence welcomed its first intake in 2023–24, with a curriculum covering the full spectrum of AI technologies.

In 2025, we launched the King’s AI+ Academic Fellowships – a prestigious programme focused on AI and its applications across all disciplines. These fellowships offer 20 outstanding researchers a unique opportunity to establish, develop and sustain internationally competitive research programmes that will drive responsible AI innovations and address global challenges.

How do you think philanthropy can support AI for good?

Philanthropy can help us invest in the brightest minds by expanding fellowships and PhD studentships, particularly for under-represented groups

Universities are uniquely positioned to harness AI for society’s benefit and can maximise and amplify their impact with the right investment and support. Philanthropy can help us invest in the brightest minds by expanding fellowships and PhD studentships, particularly for under-represented groups.

But talent is only part of the answer. The private sector commands vast computational resources, while universities are less able to access the computing power they need to compete or provide independent analysis. Philanthropic support for data capabilities can transform what’s possible for universities like King’s and help us to use AI for good.

By bringing together the generosity of donors, the curiosity of researchers and the power of technology, we can ensure that AI becomes a force for progress – one that strengthens society, not divides it.

Learn how you can support our agenda-setting research.