LOUGHBOROUGH — Loughborough University, a leading UK institution, announces its leadership in a groundbreaking project funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) aimed at enhancing the collaborative learning capabilities of independent AI systems. Led by Dr Andrea Soltoggio from Loughborough’s Computer Science department, the initiative, part of DARPA’s Shared-Experience Lifelong Learning (ShELL) program, seeks to develop advanced AI programs enabling machines to learn progressively over a lifetime and share knowledge with each other, according to a press release published on EuropaWire.

The project aims to revolutionize AI systems by enabling them to reuse information, adapt swiftly to new conditions, and collaborate effectively through shared experiences. Dr Soltoggio highlights the project’s ambition, stating, “Our goal is to create fast, reliable, and collaborating learning agents by leveraging task similarities and shared experiences among AI entities.”

Partnering with Dr Soheil Kolouri at Vanderbilt University and Dr Cong Liu at the University of Texas at Dallas, both in the USA, the project brings together expertise from multiple institutions to tackle key challenges in lifelong learning, a burgeoning area of machine learning research.

Each university will contribute unique insights to the project, focusing on different aspects of lifelong learning. Loughborough University will explore novel bio-inspired neural networks, Vanderbilt University will delve into algorithmic theory and statistical foundations, while the University of Texas at Dallas will concentrate on hardware integration and real-world applications.

The potential applications of this technology are vast, ranging from self-learning autonomous vehicles to robotic rescue and exploration systems, distributed monitoring systems for emergency detection, and cyber security systems for large networks.

Funded under DARPA’s Artificial Intelligence Exploration (AIE) program, the project underscores Loughborough University’s international reputation for AI expertise. Professor Claudia Eberlein, Dean of Loughborough’s School of Science, expresses pride in the university’s achievement, stating, “This funding from DARPA represents a phenomenal success for the University and recognizes Dr Soltoggio’s position among the leading authorities in the world on AI.”