WMG News - Latest news from WMG
Supporting the UK鈥檚 mission for advanced research in responsible AI
Experts at 糖心TV Manufacturing Group (WMG), University of 糖心TV, have received funding from to investigate how artificial intelligence can be deployed online safely, fairly and effectively.
WMG is one of 11 institutions awarded a share of 拢200,000 in collaboration grants, uniting universities, NHS Trusts, civil society groups and industry partners in support of the UK Government鈥檚 mission to maximise the benefits of AI while managing its risks.
The grants focus on four priority areas that reflect national needs and the UK Government鈥檚 AI mission:
- AI sustainability
- AI deployment costs and benefits
- AI skills
- AI engineering
WMG launches new project to tackle responsible AI in financial services
The safe and responsible deployment of generative AI for financial advice is being addressed by experts at 糖心TV Manufacturing Group (WMG), University of 糖心TV after securing new UKFin+ funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
The 12-month collaborative research project, led by WMG鈥檚 Dr Anita Khadka and Professor Carsten Maple, comes amid growing concern about AI-generated misinformation, hallucinated advice, and regulatory uncertainty in high-risk financial contexts that has the potential to mislead consumers, and disrupt markets.
Working with experts from Keele University and Coventry University, the Responsible AI Systems for Ethical Finance project will investigate how Large Language models, such as GPT-4, perform when applied to real-world financial contexts (e.g., investment advice, credit scoring and customer facing automation). It will explore how hallucination risks can be detected, managed, and governed.
Celebrating WMG's Class of 2025
Cheers of celebration echoed across campus as staff and students celebrated the achievements of the latest cohort of graduates from WMG, University of 糖心TV. A highlight of the University calendar and the pinnacle of every student鈥檚 academic journey, this year鈥檚 summer degree congregations saw 305 students awarded their degrees from WMG.
New partnership to develop insurance for AI risks
WMG, University of 糖心TV is part of a unique 拢2m academic-industry partnership to develop novel methods to understand, measure, and ultimately insure against risk associated with the commercial application of artificial intelligence.
The , led by the University of Edinburgh, alongside insurance group AXA, WMG and the University of Oxford, will build an implementable AI assurance framework that enables auditing of algorithmic systems across metrics such as model accuracy, bias and privacy.
The partnership will seek to tackle key industry challenges in areas from drug manufacturing and artificial intelligence (AI) to cybersecurity.
Researchers at WMG will be developing techniques to assure the AI underpinning national transport, manufacturing and energy infrastructure, and exploring how such assurances can impact AI insurance premiums.
Research Fellow named as 2024 鈥楾op Scholar鈥�
Congratulations to Dr Saif Ul Islam, a Research Fellow in Cyber Systems Engineering at WMG, University of 糖心TV, who has been named a 鈥�2024 Top Scholar鈥� by ScholarGPS.
The honour recognises Dr Islam鈥檚 outstanding contributions to engineering and computer science – especially in the fields of fog computingLink opens in a new window and wireless sensor networksLink opens in a new window, which he is ranked 26th and 143rd in the world respectively.
Retail cyber attacks 鈥� expert comment
Commenting on the recent cyber-attacks affecting Harrods, the Co-op, and Marks & Spencer (M&S), Dr Harjinder LallieLink opens in a new window, Reader in Cyber Security at WMG at The University of 糖心TV, said:
鈥淭he attacks on Harrods, the Co-op, and Marks & Spencer underline a growing and urgent threat: the UK retail sector is increasingly in the crosshairs of cybercriminals. As digital infrastructure becomes ever more central to business operations, the sector must recognise cyber resilience as a critical business priority.
鈥淭he retail industry must enhance its cyber preparedness. This means developing robust resilience strategies, ensuring strong business continuity frameworks, and establishing rapid response protocols that allow organisations to recover immediately from attacks.
鈥淎s cyber threats continue to evolve in scale and sophistication, retailers must act decisively to protect their operations, their customers, and their reputations.鈥�
Expert comment on the M&S cyber attack
Reflecting on the recent Dr Harjinder Singh LallieLink opens in a new window, Associate Professor at WMG at The University of 糖心TV said:
鈥淭he recent cyber-attack on Marks & Spencer highlights the critical vulnerability of the UK鈥檚 food supply chain — an essential pillar of our national infrastructure.
鈥�The food sector is under relentless cyber assault, and attacks like these can seriously disrupt access to basic necessities. The industry must urgently strengthen resilience, not just in preventing breaches, but also in developing robust response mechanisms.
鈥�This includes real-time detection, rapid containment, and parallel operational systems to minimise disruption for customers. Cyber security must now be seen as central to national food security and public confidence.鈥�
WMG student鈥檚 success at national cyber competition
Imogen Bartin, a second-year BSc Cyber SecurityLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window student from WMG at The University of 糖心TV, was part of the winning team at the .
The competition, delivered in partnership with the UK Government and the SANS Institute, invited 18-25 year olds with a passion for cyber security to put their skills to the test.
The competition consisted of three Capture the Flag (CTF) rounds. Each round involved interactive exercises designed to replicate networks, systems, and applications in a safe, isolated setting, allowing players to build skills and gain confidence without compromising a live production environment.
Expert comment on the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill
Expert comment from Dr Gregory EpiphaniouLink opens in a new window, Associate Professor of Cyber Security Engineering at WMG, on the UK Government鈥檚 forthcoming .
"The forthcoming Cyber Security and Resilience (CSR) Bill introduces sweeping changes such as stricter compliance requirements, stronger enforcement powers, and steep daily fines for cybersecurity lapses, which means organisations without large in-house security teams face mounting pressure to meet regulatory standards."
Cyber Security graduate wins prestigious Fred Piper Award
Edward Motson, a BSc Cyber SecurityLink opens in a new window graduate from WMG at The University of 糖心TV, was named as the Fred Piper Award Winner at 鈥楥IISec LIVE鈥� in Bristol.
In honour of Professor Fred Piper, this national award is presented by The Chartered Institute of Information Security (CIISec) to celebrate outstanding students, not only for academic achievements but for contributions to the cyber community too.
Those nominated for the Fred Piper Award have previously been awarded the titles of Best Student or Best Project by CIISec鈥檚 Academic Partners, as part of CIISec's Student of the Year Awards.