Third Workshop on Multimodal AI

16–17 September 2025, London, UK

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Photo competition - Call for entries
Deadline extended!
- Travel bursary applications – apply by 26 August 2025
- Volunteering opportunities – apply by 26 August 2025
Accepted abstracts - View all abstracts
Registration - Now open (closes when full or by 31 August 2025)
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You are warmly invited to join the Third Workshop on Multimodal AI (MultimodalAI'25), taking place on 16th and 17th September 2025 at the Barbican Centre, London, EC2Y 8DS. This workshop will be an in-person-only event, preceded by a mini-hackathon on 15th September (location to be announced).

Multimodal AI integrates diverse types of data, such as text, images, and sound, swiftly revolutionising how we interact with technology and information. Following two successful workshops, MultimodalAI’25 will gather researchers and practitioners from AI, data science, and various scientific and applied domains. The workshop aims to discuss challenges, share innovative solutions, explore future collaborations, and further build our vibrant multimodal AI community.

Hosted by the UK Open Multimodal AI Network (UKOMAIN)—a £1.8 million EPSRC Network Plus project—the event features keynote presentations from leading experts, community pitches, talks and posters, engaging panel discussions, a photo competition, and valuable funding and policy briefings. Prizes will recognise outstanding pitches, talks, posters, and photos. Additionally, we offer travel bursaries and volunteering opportunities to support participants.

Join this interdisciplinary gathering to connect, collaborate, and drive forward multimodal AI research and development. For further details,follow us at https://www.linkedin.com/company/ukomain.

Keynote Speakers

Ampea Karikari-Boateng

Principal R&D Engineer in Wind Turbine Architecture at Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult

Anna Barnes

Advisory Board Member of the UK Open Multimodal AI Network, Director of the King’s Technology Evaluation Centre at King’s College London, and President of Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine

Emine Yilmaz

Advisory Board Member of the UK Open Multimodal AI Network, Professor and ELLIS Fellow at University College London, and Amazon Scholar

Maria Luciana Axente

Advisory Board Member of the UK Open Multimodal AI Network, Founder and CEO of Responsible Intelligence, and former Head of AI Public Policy and Ethics at PwC UK

Rebecca Croasdale-Wood

Senior Director of Augmented Biologics Design and Global MLAB Lead at AstraZeneca

Ronghui Liu

Professor of Networks and Transport Operations at University of Leeds

Thomas Gorochowski

Professor of Biological Engineering at University of Bristol

Tian Xie

Principal Research Manager and Project Lead at Microsoft Research AI for Science

Tentative Programme

Day-1: 16 Sep 2025

Time	Event
08:30 – 09:00	Arrival and registration
09:00 – 17:00	Main programme
09:00 – 09:10	Welcome Address – Aimie Chapple, Vice-President (University College London)
09:10 – 09:25	Opening Talk – Prof Haiping Lu, Director, UK Open Multimodal AI Network
17:30 - 20:30	Drinks reception and Networking
To be updated	Keynote 1: Tian Xie – Principal Research Manager Lead at Microsoft Research AI for Science
	Title: Accelerating materials design with AI emulators and generators Abstract: The design of novel materials has been a cornerstone of technological progress, driving transformative innovations such as the adoption of electric vehicles, the development of highly efficient solar cells, and the widespread use of superconductors in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems. At Microsoft Research, we develop two foundational artificial intelligence (AI) models to accelerate the materials discovery process. The first model, MatterGen, is an AI generator that proposes novel materials candidates given prompts of required properties. The second model, MatterSim, is an AI emulator that then simulates the properties of the generated candidates for the target application. The two models work together as a flywheel to drive the discovery of novel materials for broad applications. This presentation will provide a comprehensive overview of the architecture MatterSim and MatterGen, as well as how they can be used to deliver real-world impact in materials design.
To be updated	Keynote 2: Maria Luciana Axente – Advisory Board Member, UK Open Multimodal AI Network, Founder and CEO, Responsible Intelligence, Former Head of AI Public Policy and Ethics at PwC UK
	Title: Beyond single-track thinking: Governing the Ethical Complexity of Multimodal AI Abstract: Given the emergence of these unique AI systems, our current governance frameworks must evolve, addressing the urgent ethical dilemmas they raise and enabling a robust, proportionate risk management approach tailored to their complexity and requirements.
To be updated	Keynote 3: Rebecca Croasdale-Wood – Senior Director, Augmented Biologics Design, Global MLAB Lead at AstraZeneca
	Title: Integrating AI into Biologics Discovery workflows Abstract: To be updated
To be updated	Keynote 4: Thomas Gorochowski – Professor of Biological Engineering at University of Bristol
	Title: Data-centric approaches to biological design and engineering Abstract: High-throughput multi-modal experiments are revolutionising our understanding of biological complexity and offer a rich foundation on which to establish data-centric and mechanistic models of living cells. In this talk, I will present some of the sequencing methodologies my group has been developing to aid in the reprogramming of cells, providing broad and detailed information about diverse cellular processes and some of the insights this type of data has provided. I will also discuss some of the major challenges associated with the design of these experiments, showing how simulation can help; the chlleneges of working with heterogeneous data for biological design; and our efforts to to improve data interoperability and safety across the field of engineering biology.

Day-2: 17 Sep 2025

Time	Event
08:30 – 09:00	Arrival and registration
09:00 – 16:30	Main programme
To be updated	Keynote 1: Anna Barnes - Advisory Board Member of the UK Open Multimodal AI Network, Director of the King’s Technology Evaluation Centre at King’s College London, and President of Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine
	Title: AI in Health and Care — helping developers to think more critically about deployment, integration, and evidence generation. Abstract: King’s College Technology Evaluation Centre (KiTEC) was commissioned by NHS England in 2020 to support the evaluation of AI tools for healthcare service provision. This talk provides an overview of the methodology, a description of the evaluation criteria in terms of clinical and economic effectiveness and the lessons learned during the evaluation process.
To be updated	Keynote 2: Ampea Karikari-Boateng - Principal R&D Engineer in Wind Turbine Architecture at Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult
	Title: To be updated Abstract: To be updated
To be updated	Keynote 3: Ronghui Liu - Professor of Networks and Transport Operations at University of Leeds
	Title: Smart Mobility: AI and Data Science Powering the Future of Multimodal Transport. Abstract: This presentation explores how artificial intelligence and data science are reshaping multimodal transport systems - including public transport, ridesharing, cycling, andwalking – into more intelligent, efficient, and equitable forms of mobility.By leveraging diverse data sources—such as GPS trajectories, sensors, video andmobile applications—AI enables the analysis and inference of travel patterns and user needs across socio-economic groups, while also supporting real-time decision-making, route optimisation, and predictive maintenance of transport infrastructure. Cloud-computing provides the architecture for scalable solutions, including digital twins for infrastructure monitoring and reinforcement learning for dynamic scheduling. Case studies are presented to illustrate how these technologies can address challenges like congestion, system upkeep, and last-mile connectivity. The talk concludes with a call for cross-sector collaboration among academia, industry, and public agencies, to advance inclusive and sustainable mobility through continued innovation in AI and data science.
To be updated	Keynote 4: Emine Yilmaz - Advisory Board Member of the UK Open Multimodal AI Network, Professor and EPSRC Fellow at University College London, and Amazon Scholar
	Title: Using Large Language Models for Evaluation: Opportunities and Limitations Abstract: Large Language Models (LLMs) have shown significant promise as tools for automated evaluation across diverse domains. While using LLMs for evaluation come with significant advantages potentially alleviating the reliance on costly and subjective human assessments, the adoption of LLM-based evaluation is not without challenges. In this talk we discuss about the transformative potential and the inherent constraints of using LLMs for evaluation tasks. In particular, we describe some of the challenges that come with LLM-based evaluation, such as biases and variability in judgment. We further discuss how LLMs can augment traditional evaluation practices while acknowledging the need for cautious and informed integration.

Key Dates and Deadlines

	Open Date	Close Date
Call for Abstracts	Wed, 30th April	Tue, 5th August

Abstract Acceptance Notification	–	Tue, 12th August

Final Abstract Submission	–	Tue, 26th August

Registration Open	Tue, 27th May	Closes when full or Sun, 31st August

Cancellation Deadline (with refund)	–	Mon, 18th August


Call for Volunteers	Tue, 27th May	Tue, 26th August

Volunteer Acceptance Notification	–	Fri, 29th August

Travel Bursary for Inclusive Participation	Tue, 27th May	Tue, 26th August

Travel Bursary Decision Notification	–	Fri, 29th August

Call for Sponsors	Wed, 7th May	Tue, 2nd September

Photo Challenge Submission Open	Mon, 18th August	Mon, 8th September

Photo Challenge Public Voting	Tue, 9th September	Tue, 16th September

Photo Challenge Panel Decision	–	Wed, 17th September


Draft Programme Finalised	–	Wed, 27th August

Final Programme Released (PDF)	–	Tue, 2nd September

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Contact Us

Email the organisers: ukomain-mmai25@googlegroups.com