UK's Arm and SoftBank Inject £12.3M to Supercharge Global AI Research with Carnegie Mellon

Carnegie Mellon University has announced it will receive a $15.5 million (£12.3 million) contribution from chip designer Arm and Japanese investment group SoftBank to support its academic partnership with Keio University in Japan.

The funding is part of a wider US–Japan initiative aimed at advancing artificial intelligence through international academic collaboration.

A US–Japan Alliance to Accelerate Global AI Leadership

Launched in 2024, the initiative links leading institutions from both countries, with Carnegie Mellon paired with Keio University, and the University of Washington working alongside the University of Tsukuba. The aim is to foster cutting-edge research and strengthen global leadership in AI.

Funding to Fuel Breakthroughs in AI Research

The contribution from Arm and SoftBank will give Carnegie Mellon researchers access to advanced commercial tools and models while supporting foundational studies in areas where AI is expected to bring major societal transformation.

The funding is part of a wider commitment exceeding $110 million (£87 million) from major global technology firms, including Amazon, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and a consortium of Japanese companies. The investment reflects a shared commitment to responsible innovation and cross-border cooperation in AI.

Global Collaboration Anchored by Industry Support

This development underscores the importance of international research alliances and places Carnegie Mellon and Keio at the forefront of a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

Martial Hebert, Dean of CMU's School of Computer Science, said, 'Carnegie Mellon is thankful for the support of Arm and SoftBank Group Corp. to further the development of transformative technologies powered by artificial intelligence. AI is pushing scientific discovery in fields like robotics and biomedicine, helping researchers understand complex systems and predict outcomes with increased accuracy.'

He furthered: 'The CMU and Keio partnership will unlock research potential across the globe. Together, with generous and expert industry backing, we will blaze the new path charted by pioneering breakthroughs made possible through AI.'

Arm's Tools to Power Next-Generation Innovation

Arm will also ensure CMU researchers can access advanced computing tools via its Academic and Access model to foster complex value chain processes, including innovation, evaluation, design and manufacturing through AI-powered research.

'At Arm, we see the future of AI at the intersection of cutting-edge research, world-class engineering and practical application. Our partnership with the SoftBank Group and Carnegie Mellon University accelerates AI innovation while empowering the next generation,' said Khaled Benkrid, Senior Director, Education and Research, Arm. 'By uniting academia and industry, we're not just advancing technology, we're also investing in its future architects.'

Research Areas: From Domestic Robotics to Scientific Discovery

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and Keio University are currently collaborating on an embodied AI project. The goal is to develop systems that enable robots to understand their own physical capabilities better, enhancing their effectiveness in performing domestic tasks.

Forthcoming research in multimodal and multilingual learning will explore ways to address hallucination issues in large language models, particularly when these models are used to interpret images and other forms of multimodal data.

In the area of AI symbiosis, potential studies may examine nonverbal communication, interaction with robotic arms, and social navigation, advancing how machines engage with humans and environments in real time.

Meanwhile, investigations into the application of AI for scientific discovery will focus on AI-driven experimentation and data analysis. This includes biomedical image analysis, laboratory automation and the use of AI to interpret complex molecular measurements.