AI for Sustainable and Inclusive Societies

Modern society increasingly relies on responsible and explainable AI automation, intelligent systems, and multi-source data to support AI–human collaborative decision-making in complex socio-technical environments. This research theme addresses major technical, environmental, societal, and ethical challenges through interdisciplinary approaches spanning engineering, computer science, telecommunications, neuroscience, political economy, finance, creative media, and sports. It aligns closely with the expertise of Loughborough University’s Institute for Digital Technologies, which focuses on advanced digital infrastructures, trustworthy AI, intelligent networks, and immersive technologies to drive meaningful societal impact.

To align more closely with our priorities, applicants are expected to focus on at least one of the following realms: In computer science, we welcome research spanning human–computer interaction, haptic systems, immersive metaverse technologies, natural language processing using large language models, and machine-learning-based systems for detecting fraud, cyber threats, and disinformation to enhance usability, security, and social justice. In finance and political economy, we are interested in the regulation and governance of AI by states and international organisations, as well as the impact of AI on forecasting models, algorithmic trading, risk assessment tools, and economic simulations that incorporate behavioural and market dynamics. In creative media and sports, we are interested in how AI enables and supports performance analytics via athlete monitoring, digital content creation, personalised audience engagement, and optimisation of training strategies.

Our Strength: Interdisciplinary Integration At the core of this research theme is the development and analysis of advanced AI and machine-learning techniques, including deep learning, reinforcement learning, federated learning, adversarial learning, generative AI, and large language models. By integrating engineering, computer science, and the social sciences, this theme provides a flexible and interdisciplinary foundation for impactful research. It offers PhD students a unique opportunity to innovate within a collaborative, cross-disciplinary environment and to contribute to AI solutions that promote sustainable, inclusive, and equitable societies.

Contact: Xiyu Shi, email: [email protected] 94% of Loughborough’s research impact is rated world-leading or internationally excellent. REF 2021