Aspiring to make a real-world impact with your AI expertise? The Alan Turing Institute, in collaboration with the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and Meta, has just announced a pre-call for the highly anticipated Open Source AI Fellowship 2025–2026—a, paid opportunity for elite researchers, developers, and technologists to lead open-source AI innovations for the UK Government.
What is the Open Source AI Fellowship?
Launching as a pilot program in January 2026, this 12-month Fellowship is designed to embed selected Fellows at DSIT, with academic support from the Alan Turing Institute and technical backing from i.AI (the UK Government’s Incubator for Artificial Intelligence). Fellows will design and deliver mission-critical, open-source AI solutions that directly serve public and governmental needs.
Example Use Cases Include:
- Developing secure, offline AI assistants to process sensitive government documents.
- Designing AI-driven planning and regulatory tools trained on UK law.
- Creating emergency response AI tools capable of functioning during power or network outages.
This is more than a research position—it’s a high-impact, real-world initiative aimed at strengthening the UK’s public-sector AI capabilities while encouraging cross-sector innovation.
Who Can Apply?
This is an exclusive opportunity for individuals who bring:
- A PhD (or equivalent experience) in AI, data science, or a related field.
- A “builder’s mindset”, entrepreneurial spirit, and proven ability to ship complex AI systems.
- Strong leadership and a demonstrated track record of delivering solutions in dynamic settings.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Must legally work in the UK without employer sponsorship.
- Must have lived in the UK for at least 5 years to pass security vetting.
- Must be employed by a UK organization (0.8–1.0 FTE) with employer approval for secondment.
- The employment contract must extend beyond the Fellowship end date.
Fellowship Perks and Details
- Secondment to DSIT, with full salary cost reimbursement (up to £85,000 per annum).
- Hybrid work model (remote + DSIT office attendance).
- Fellows will be part of a vibrant, interdisciplinary Turing cohort, gaining mentorship, collaboration opportunities, and growth across sectors.
- Open-source outputs will be shared with the public, ensuring transparency and long-term impact.
Submit Application: https://www.turing.ac.uk/work-turing/open-source-ai-fellowship-pre-call-announcement
If you’re excited about the Open Source AI Fellowship 2025–2026, here’s when you should mark your calendar! The official call for applications will open during the week commencing 14 July 2025, giving you a head start to prepare a strong application.
You’ll have until mid-August 2025 to submit your materials—so don’t wait until the last minute! Selected Fellows will begin their transformative journey in January 2026, kicking off a 12-month secondment where innovation meets real-world impact. Make sure you express your interest early to get notified as soon as the call goes live.