Infosys has unveiled plans to expand its Canary Wharf Living Lab alongside a partnership with the University of Cambridge to open a new London-based AI Lab.
The Canary Wharf site - one of 12 run by the company around the world - is designed to give customers and partners solution accelerators, digital experiences, frameworks, and industry solutions to help them research, prototype, and test their ideas.
There's a particular focus on enterprise AI, thanks to Infosys Topaz, an AI-first offering using generative AI technologies, and Infosys Cobalt, a cloud-powered solution designed to support enterprises in building robust and scalable digital architectures.
"Our Living Labs in London will help enterprises adapt to rapidly changing business cycles and accelerate their digital transformation journey with strategic innovations leveraging Infosys Topaz and Infosys Cobalt," said Tarang Puranik, Infosys's EVP and head of delivery for Europe.
"London is a melting pot of some of the world's most forward-thinking and disruptive companies, and our commitment to be a major part of its technological evolution is outlined in this significant investment through our new state-of-the-art collaborative workspace, the launch of Infosys Living Labs and our AI Lab in collaboration with the University of Cambridge."
Meanwhile, Infosys revealed it will be partnering with the University of Cambridge to establish a joint AI Lab on the same site.
The aim, they said, is to combine Infosys' industry expertise and practical application of AI and the university's education and research capabilities to help address real-world challenges.
"For centuries, Cambridge has been at the forefront of research in the mathematical sciences, and is playing a globally leading role in innovating, understanding and applying data-driven techniques such as AI for the benefit of humanity," said Colm-cille Caulfield, head of department of applied mathematics and theoretical physics.
"Our culture of open multi-disciplinary enquiry, with deep coupling between research, education, and real-world impact, resonates well with Infosys, and we are delighted to strengthen our collaboration through this new AI Lab."
The London Living Labs and the AI Lab are housed within Infosys' new 25,000 square foot premises, with a capacity for 200 employees. The site received a Gold SKA Rating for its energy efficiency, water use, waste management, and environmental impact.
The venture has been welcomed by the government, which has been pushing hard to attract more international investment, particularly in AI.
"We are putting the potential of AI at the heart of our plans to kickstart growth in the economy. I saw first-hand how Infosys' new London base will support organisations and researchers to get the most out of this technology, fueling the new innovations which will deliver change for people up and down the country," said minister for digital government and AI, Feryal Clark.
“Our recent International Investment Summit secured £63 billion of investment from across the globe and this is further proof that we're continuing to go from strength to strength as a place to do business."
