UK ARIA-PhD Network Project: Economical AI Chips with Intrinsic Common Sense and Morality

As part of the UK’s $1 billion investment through the newly launched Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) to create world-changing technologies, the ambitious cellular AI project TREND: ‘Two-Point Neurons-Inspired Economic and Ethical Neuromorphic Co-Design’ is seeking PhD researchers from around the globe.

This project unites four major Scottish universities—Stirling, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Heriot-Watt—with partners such as NASA-JPL, the Edinburgh Bayes Centre, the James Watt Nanofabrication Centre, the Scottish Microelectronics Centre, and The National Robotarium, as well as leading chip designers and manufacturers.

TREND: Two-Point Neurons-Inspired Economic and Ethical Neuromorphic Co-Design (TREND)

Funders: UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA)

Funding amount: Full tuition fees + annual stipend (£19,237) + travel/training allowance

Hours: Full time

Number of available positions: 4

Placed on: 25^th October 2024

Closes: Preferably before 19^th November 2024

Background

The TREND team, led by Stirling, is developing a groundbreaking AI chip inspired by the emerging neurobiological field of cellular psychology, which relates thought to two-point pyramidal neurons. This project is motivated by the team’s recent research, which indicates that neocortical pyramidal neurons in the mammalian brain regulate mental states, ranging from rapid eye movement (REM) and slow-wave sleep to typical wakefulness and imaginative thought. Their findings suggest that these cellular mechanisms could be embodied in machines to develop future economical AI chips with intrinsic common sense and morality. Without intrinsic human values, powerful AI could do more harm than good.

Inspired by these newly discovered cellular mechanisms, the project is initially focused on generalising this new kind of AI across various applications, including language processing, speech processing, robotics/games, and computer vision, addressing the rapidly growing economic and environmental challenges posed by current AI technologies. The next stage of the project is to design purpose-built consumer AI chips with intrinsic common sense, imaginative thinking, and morality, enabled by these neurons. Guided by their owners' needs and values, these future AI chips will empower individuals to make more informed decisions.

Person specification

The successful candidate will hold a first-class undergraduate or master’s degree in AI, Computational Neuroscience, Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or Computer Science. A good understanding of popular deep learning and generative AI algorithms (e.g., CNNs, ResNet, Transformers, and Stable Diffusion), along with good programming and mathematical skills required to develop algorithms from scratch, is essential. Knowledge of areas such as spiking neural networks, neuromorphic computing, predictive coding, sparse coding, continual learning, competitive learning, dendritic computation, or other relevant topics is desirable. Depending on the suitability of the selected candidates, they will be allocated to one of these topics. PhD supervision will be provided across Stirling, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Heriot-Watt Universities with input from partners.

Training

TREND provides a supportive training environment for postgraduate researchers and this studentship also provides an excellent opportunity to train with an international, inter-disciplinary research team.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: Fairness, equality, cultural diversity, inclusion and respect has been a fundamental value of the University of Stirling since its establishment in 1967. Our charter states that “the University shall be committed to the fair and equal treatment of every person and shall not discriminate on unjustified, irrelevant or unlawful grounds.”

Funding information

The studentships cover the full cost of UK tuition fees, an annual stipend aligned with UKRI rates—£19,237 for 2024/25—and funds to support travel to conferences and partner institutions for three years. There is also potential for international fee waivers for suitable candidates.

How to apply

Please send a cover letter detailing your interest and experience in this area, along with your academic CV, to ARIA TREND at ARIA.TREND@stir.ac.uk. For informal inquiries, you may also contact Dr. Ahsan Adeel, the project’s Principal Investigator, at ahsan.adeel1@stir.ac.uk, or Co-Investigator Prof. Tughrul Arslan at T.Arslan@ed.ac.uk. Interview dates will be communicated after the initial screening process.

Start date: February 1, 2025, onwards.

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