UK Launches AI-Driven Project to Combat Drug-Resistant Superbugs

The UK has launched a major initiative using artificial intelligence (AI) to fight drug-resistant infections, also known as “superbugs,” which kill around one million people annually and contribute to millions more deaths worldwide. The project, a collaboration between the Fleming Initiative and pharmaceutical company GSK, will invest £45 million across six research areas to accelerate the discovery of new antibiotics and treatments for deadly fungal infections.

AI will be trained on experimental data to understand how antibiotics penetrate tough-to-treat Gram-negative bacteria, such as E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The goal is to streamline years of research into computer-driven predictions that guide the design of more effective drugs.

The initiative will also use AI to forecast how superbugs emerge and spread, while expanding efforts to combat dangerous fungi like Aspergillus. Researchers hope this approach will outpace bacterial evolution and transform the prevention and treatment of resistant infections.

25-11-2025