British science is gearing up for a major leap forward after the government confirmed a £36m investment to dramatically expand the power of one of the country’s most important computing hubs.
The funding will increase capacity at the University of Cambridge’s AI facilities by six times, strengthening the UK’s ability to develop next-generation artificial intelligence and data-driven technologies.
At the centre of this expansion is the DAWN supercomputer, a system that has already become a cornerstone of national AI research. The upgrade is expected to come online as early as spring 2026, unlocking new possibilities for researchers, start-ups, and public-sector innovators alike.
Professor Sir John Aston, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research, University of Cambridge, explained: “This investment marks an important milestone for the UK’s AI Research Resource, expanding the power of Cambridge’s DAWN supercomputer and strengthening our national computing ecosystem.
“It will give researchers, clinicians and innovators the tools they need to drive breakthroughs that improve public services.
“The University of Cambridge is proud to work with industry leaders such as Dell to ensure world-class computing is available to those tackling society’s most complex challenges, helping the UK shape the next generation of AI for public good.”
Cambridge’s growing role in UK innovation
The investment builds on Cambridge’s status as a key engine of innovation within the Oxford-Cambridge corridor, one of Europe’s most influential clusters for science and technology.
With world-leading universities, research institutes and a dense network of fast-scaling tech companies, the region has become a natural home for advanced computing infrastructure.
As part of this push, the government is also backing a new National Computational Resource supercomputer in Cambridge, further expanding the computing power available to UK scientists and reinforcing the city’s role at the heart of the national research strategy.
DAWN supercomputer already delivering impact
Hosted by the University of Cambridge, the DAWN supercomputer is a core component of the AI Research Resource, or AIRR. This national programme gives UK researchers and smaller companies free access to computing capabilities normally reserved for the world’s largest technology firms.
The impact is already tangible. More than 350 projects have used DAWN to date, including work on AI systems designed to accelerate personalised cancer vaccines by identifying which tumour features the immune system should target.
Other teams are applying the platform to environmental research, using AI to better understand and predict changes in climate and ecosystems.
Next-generation chips and bigger ambitions
For the first time, researchers using AIRR will gain access to AMD’s latest MI355X AI processors, among the most advanced chips currently available.
Integrated by Dell Technologies, which supplies the underlying infrastructure, the new hardware will allow scientists to work with far larger datasets and pursue more ambitious, compute-intensive ideas than ever before.
Tariq Hussain, UK Head of Public Sector, Dell Technologies, added : “Working with the UK Government and the University of Cambridge, Dell Technologies is ensuring that world‑class AI compute is freely available to the UK’s researchers and innovators, so they can turn bold ideas into real‑world impact in areas like earlier disease detection, climate resilience and better public services.
“By integrating Dell PowerEdge servers with AMD’s latest MI355X accelerators into the DAWN supercomputer as part of the AI Research Resource, we’re helping British start-ups and scientists run bigger models on larger datasets, accelerating breakthroughs that will benefit people and communities across the country.”
Benefits from national AI investment
The expanded DAWN supercomputer is expected to deliver practical benefits beyond the lab, from earlier and more accurate disease detection to smarter digital public services and improved climate modelling to help communities prepare for extreme weather.
This funding sits within the government’s wider AI Opportunities Action Plan, which commits more than £2bn to public compute infrastructure. Plans include expanding AIRR twentyfold by 2030 and building a new national supercomputer in Edinburgh.
Alongside DAWN in Cambridge, AIRR already includes Isambard-AI in Bristol, signalling a nationwide approach to AI-powered innovation.
