International

Brunel University partners with Salesforce to lead responsible AI revolution in the UK

Tuesday, 17 June 2025 12:11AM UTC

Brunel University’s Centre for Artificial Intelligence has teamed up with Salesforce to address the UK’s AI skills shortage, promoting innovation with an ethical framework inspired by Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s legacy. The collaboration prioritises trust, transparency and regulatory clarity to support the nation’s AI ambitions and future workforce development.

Brunel University’s Centre for Artificial Intelligence has recently entered a partnership with Salesforce, aiming to advance leadership in both technical AI development and responsible AI implementation. This collaboration comes amid growing efforts within the UK to address the critical skills gap needed to support the nation’s AI ambitions, highlighted during London Tech Week and reinforced by a Salesforce survey showing that 78% of UK organisations currently deploy agentic AI technology, with 84% planning to train their workforce in AI.

Professor Ashley Braganza, Dean of Brunel Business School, draws a parallel between the university’s namesake, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a pioneering engineer of the Industrial Revolution, and the present-day need to shape the AI revolution responsibly. When founded in 2018, the Centre for AI started with just a modest budget of £3,000 and three members; today it comprises around 30 members actively engaged in research and practical collaboration with industry. Braganza emphasises the transformative potential of AI while cautioning that, like past technologies, it will create both opportunities and challenges with winners and losers across sectors. The partnership with Salesforce is seen as pivotal, combining innovation with a strong ethical framework grounded in trust.

Trust plays a central role in the partnership’s vision. Braganza stresses the importance of deploying AI responsibly, ensuring transparency and security when handling data, in line with Salesforce’s core values. He advocates reframing the debate around AI policies: rather than viewing innovation and regulation as opposing forces, they should be seen as complementary. This balanced approach aims to provide companies with a clear regulatory environment that nurtures investment and innovation safely, avoiding costly disruptions from reactionary measures.

Addressing widespread concerns about AI’s impact on employment, Braganza argues that AI will not solely be a job taker but a creator of new roles, many of which are yet to be imagined. Preparing students today for careers that could span 50 or 60 years requires forward-thinking education strategies and robust research into future skills needs. Additionally, support must be extended to individuals displaced by technological change, ensuring accessible pathways back into employment.

From a broader perspective, Braganza is confident in the UK’s strengths in research and knowledge but acknowledges the need for more mature mechanisms to support companies transitioning from innovative ideas to market growth, an area where the US is currently more advanced. Initiatives such as Salesforce’s AI Centre in London — which has attracted over 12,500 visitors and trained more than 1,000 AI-focused professionals since its 2022 opening — exemplify ongoing investment in this ecosystem. Salesforce has also committed $4 billion in the UK over five years and is actively funding UK organisations working on digital and AI literacy, including STEM career pathways.

The symbolic selection of Brunel University, rather than more globally renowned institutions like MIT or Stanford, highlights a deliberate focus on grounding AI development within a context that values both technical excellence and societal responsibility. The university’s namesake, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, is remembered for his engineering marvels, including the Clifton Suspension Bridge and revolutionary steamships, as well as a visionary approach that often anticipated future technical advancements. His legacy inspires the current mission to lead Britain’s AI revolution with similar foresight and impact.

In sum, the partnership between Salesforce and Brunel University represents an important step in building the UK’s AI economy foundation, blending innovation, education, and regulatory clarity underpinned by trust. While government policy continues to evolve, industry-led initiatives like this are crucial in bridging the digital skills gap and ensuring a responsible, inclusive AI-driven future.

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Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://diginomica.com/how-brunel-university-hopes-square-ai-circles-salesforce-partnership - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Isambard-Kingdom-Brunel - This article provides a comprehensive biography of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, detailing his early life, significant engineering achievements, and lasting impact on civil and mechanical engineering. It covers his work on the Thames Tunnel, the Great Western Railway, and his innovative ship designs, including the Great Eastern. The piece also discusses his education, personal life, and the legacy he left in the field of engineering.
https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/who-was-isambard-kingdom-brunel - An overview of Isambard Kingdom Brunel's life and work, highlighting his major engineering feats such as the Thames Tunnel, Clifton Suspension Bridge, and the Great Western Railway. The article also touches upon his ship designs, including the Great Western and Great Britain, and his contributions during the Crimean War with the design of prefabricated hospitals. It concludes with a discussion of his death and enduring legacy.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/brunel_kingdom_isambard.shtml - A concise biography of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, focusing on his key engineering projects like the Thames Tunnel, Great Western Railway, and notable ships such as the Great Western and Great Britain. The article also mentions his work on bridges and docks, and provides a brief account of his death and the recognition he received posthumously.
https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/commemorations/isambard-kingdom-brunel/ - This page details the memorial window dedicated to Isambard Kingdom Brunel in Westminster Abbey, including its design, location, and the inscription commemorating his life and work. It also provides background information on Brunel's contributions to engineering and his connection to the Abbey.
https://www.bristol.org.uk/bristolians/brunel/ - An article highlighting Isambard Kingdom Brunel's association with Bristol, detailing his design of the Clifton Suspension Bridge, his role in the Great Western Railway, and the construction of the Great Western steamship. It also mentions the Brunel 200 weekend celebrating his 200th anniversary.
https://www.asce.org/about-civil-engineering/history-and-heritage/notable-civil-engineers/isambard-kingdom-brunel/ - A profile of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, emphasizing his prolific engineering career, including the construction of 25 railway lines, numerous bridges, piers, docks, ships, and a prefabricated hospital. The article also touches upon his education and early life.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative appears to be original, with no prior publications found. The partnership announcement is recent, aligning with the opening of Salesforce's AI Centre in London on June 18, 2024. The report includes updated data, such as the $4 billion investment by Salesforce in the UK, which justifies a higher freshness score. However, the absence of earlier mentions of this specific partnership may raise questions about its authenticity. ([nbcnewyork.com](https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/business/money-report/salesforce-to-open-new-ai-center-in-london-as-part-of-4-billion-uk-investment/5481895/?utm_source=openai))

Quotes check

Score: 7

Notes: Direct quotes from Professor Ashley Braganza and other university representatives are not found in earlier sources, suggesting potential originality. However, the lack of corroboration raises questions about the authenticity of these statements.

Source reliability

Score: 6

Notes: The report originates from diginomica.com, a niche publication focusing on digital transformation in business. While it is not a mainstream media outlet, it is known within its industry. The absence of corroboration from more reputable sources, such as major UK news outlets, raises concerns about the reliability of the information.

Plausability check

Score: 7

Notes: The partnership between Brunel University and Salesforce aligns with ongoing efforts to address the UK's digital skills gap. Salesforce's commitment to AI innovation in the UK, including the opening of an AI Centre in London, supports the plausibility of such a collaboration. However, the lack of coverage by more prominent media outlets and the absence of direct quotes from university representatives in earlier sources raise questions about the authenticity of the report.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM

Summary: The report presents a potentially original narrative about a partnership between Brunel University and Salesforce to address the UK's digital skills gap. While the timing aligns with Salesforce's AI Centre opening in London, the lack of corroboration from more reputable sources and the absence of earlier mentions of this specific partnership raise questions about its authenticity. The absence of direct quotes from university representatives in earlier sources further complicates the assessment.

Brunel University
Salesforce
Artificial Intelligence
AI skills gap
Responsible AI