University of Bristol to Build Data Processing Facility

The University of Bristol has announced plans to develop a National AI Data Facility to support large-scale data processing efforts. The multi-million-pound data repository will be housed at the National Composites Centre (NCC) at the Bristol and Bath Science Park, next to the UK’s Isambard-AI supercomputer.

The new facility will allow Isambard-AI to process data with different formats, governance, and access restrictions from across multiple sites. It forms part of the UK government’s AI for Science Strategy, which includes building large-scale data infrastructure that can support AI-driven scientific research.

Professor Evelyn Welch, vice-chancellor and president of the University of Bristol, said: “As a research-intensive university at the heart of the UK’s AI revolution, we support the announcement of the AI for Science Strategy and are pleased to be a key part of this. The National AI Data Facility will be a critical part of its infrastructure, further establishing Bristol and the UK as an international hub for AI research. This investment will be central to creating a ‘British Library’ for the AI age.”