UKRI: Integration of AI/HPC with quantum computing (Grant)

Apply for funding to expose and overcome critical bottlenecks associated with the implementation of quantum computing within classical computational workflows. This investment will strengthen the UK’s capability to achieve accessible, UK-based quantum computers that deliver benefits beyond classical supercomputers across key sectors of the economy. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funding. The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £3,750,000. EPSRC will fund 80% of the FEC. Projects can last up to three years with a fixed start date of 1 June 2027. Demand management Demand management is not currently being applied to this funding opportunity. However, should the level of interest exceed what can be managed within the assessment process, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) may introduce limits on the number of applications that can be submitted. Further details will be clearly communicated where this is the case. UKRI encourages organisations to support applicants in preparing well-planned, high-quality applications that are competitive for funding relative to the funding opportunity. Aim Quantum Mission 1 calls for three core outcomes: • a competitive UK quantum computing ecosystem • demonstrable economic and societal value • widespread adoption and integration Successful applications will contribute towards the delivery of transformative applications that create clear economic and societal value beyond classical computing. This will be delivered through application-driven methodology to develop end-to-end hybrid workflows. Scope Quantum Mission 1 is part of the UK’s National Quantum Strategy and it calls for a globally competitive quantum computing ecosystem capable of delivering quantum computers that exceed one trillion coherent operations well in excess of classical capabilities. It aims to combine this capacity with demonstrable economic and societal benefits to enable widespread adoption and integration within classical workflows. As set out in the independent review of the Future of Compute , quantum computing will play an important part in UK’s high-performance computing ecosystem, where quantum-classical solutions are likely to be critical to achieving best results. Furthermore, cloud access and orchestration of resources has the potential to make quantum computing more accessible to a broad range of users. Mission success will require: • understanding of the quantum sectors’ need for advanced computing capabilities • addressing critical quantum-classical integration challenges These collectively will enable development of application-ready, end-to-end hybrid workflows, supporting the effective deployment of quantum capabilities alongside HPC and AI within user-driven computing environments. Key technical challenges have been highlighted: • quantum hardware descriptors to automate orchestration decision making • end-to-end performance models to balance resource allocation and minimise expected runtime • workflow optimization in support of efficient data encoding • transpiling and error mitigation in a seamless process Proposals should support the case for convergence of quantum computing (QC) with high-performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI), including machine learning (ML), or a combination of these domains. Quantum computing must be central to the proposed research. Projects must address a clearly defined application use case and be developed in collaboration with a defined end-user. Potential research themes could include: • AI for enhanced QC performance on end-to-end scalable platforms utilising modern computational techniques • identifying and developing architectural considerations for near-term QC utility • creation of enhanced user experience through integration of hybrid quantumclassical software tools • creation of enhanced user experience through the delivery of algorithmic library tools for integration into the software stack which can be interfaced with existing classical software • performance libraries for classical integration with quantum computing (such as, scheduling, orchestration, instruction-specific tasking) • simulation of quantum computing architectures with novel classical architectures, for example via accelerators • end-to-end benchmarking, validation and reproducibility frameworks for hybrid AI–HPC-quantum workflows, including fair comparison against best-in-class classical, simulation and AI-enabled baselines • advanced computing architectures for quantum computing uses cases (such as, communication protocol, latency requirements, use of Field-Programmable Gate Arrays or use of accelerators for quantum error correction) • ML/AI tools and methods for error suppression (such as, improved calibration, improved effective clock-rate, error detection, correction, mitigation) Project teams are expected to develop, at a minimum, demonstrators that illustrate

This opportunity is open to organisations with standard eligibility. Check if your organisation is eligible UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) individual eligibility rules apply. For full details, visit UKRI’s eligibility page . You may be named as a project lead in no more than one application. There is no limit to the number of applications you can be named as a project co-lead. Funding for this opportunity is subject to full business case approval. International researchers The UKRI-RCN Money Follows Cooperation Agreement or the UKRI-IIASA agreement do not apply to this funding opportunity. As such grants submitted to this funding opportunity cannot include an IIASA or a Norway-based project co-lead (international). You should include all international collaborators (or UK partners not based at approved organisations) as project partners. Resubmissions We will not accept uninvited resubmissions of projects that have been submitted to UKRI or any other funder. Find out more about EPSRC’s resubmissions policy . Equality, diversity and inclusion We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers. We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes: • career breaks • support for people with caring responsibilities • flexible working • alternative working patterns UKRI can offer disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process.

Click here to start an application on the UKRI Funding Service: https://funding-service.ukri.org/OPP1360/apply/1385 We are running this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service so please ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system. The project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, but we expect all team members and project partners to contribute to the application. Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI. To apply Select ‘Start application’ near the beginning of this Funding finder page. • Confirm you are the project lead. • Sign in or create a Funding Service account. To create an account, select your organisation, verify your email address, and set a password. • Answer questions directly in the text boxes. You can save your answers and come back to complete them or work offline and return to copy and paste your answers. If we need you to upload a document, follow the upload instructions in the Funding Service. All questions and assessment criteria are listed in the How to apply section on this Funding finder page. • Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office. • Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing. • Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI. Please be aware that research office and finance teams undertake checks on hosting arrangements and financial eligibility. The ultimate responsibility for ensuring compliance with all opportunity requirements lies with the applicant. Where indicated, you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. When including images, you must: • provide a descriptive caption or legend for each image immediately underneath it in the text box (this must be outside the image and counts towards your word limit) • insert each new image onto a new line • use files smaller than 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format Images should only be used to convey important visual information that cannot easily be put into words. The following are not permitted, and your application will be rejected if you include: • sentences or paragraphs of text • tables • excessive quantities of images A few words are permitted where the image would lack clarity without the contextual words, such as a diagram, where text labels are required for an axis or graph column. For more guidance on the Funding Service, see: • how applicants use the Funding Service • how research offices use the Funding Service • how reviewers use the Funding Service References References should be included within the word count of the appropriate question section. You should use your discretion when including references and prioritise those most pertinent to th