At the Knowledge Media Institute (KMi), we transform bold ideas into innovative technologies with real-world impact on society and the environment. We understand technology, and people, and how to harness the latest technical advancements to tackle today's and tomorrow's challenges. For over 30 years, KMi has led AI-driven breakthroughs in knowledge and science, reinforcing research, education, and discovery with intelligent, ethical, and inclusive solutions.
Our work empowers all learners, with a strong focus on those from less advantaged backgrounds, ensuring education remains accessible and equitable. We specialise in Benevolent Tech, developing powerful tools for combating online harms, reshaping life in smart cities, reconnecting people with nature to save the planet, and advancing the world's understanding of critical AI developments.

Our expertise in AI ethics, explainability, and human-AI collaboration is more crucial than ever, offering key insights for the responsible adoption of AI in education, research, and society. Our latest advancements include leveraging generative AI for personalised lifelong learning, powering a global open research system serving 30 million monthly users, and developing AI-driven tools to track and predict the progress and retention of over 100,000 students. What sets KMi apart is our pioneering hybrid approach; blending human and symbolic understanding with machine intelligence and analysis. This fusion enables us to move beyond conventional tech solutions, driving meaningful change through groundbreaking human-centred innovations.

KMi prides itself on being diverse, equitable, non-hierarchical and people-oriented, facilitating the free generation of ideas and their robust deliberation. It provides an agile and supportive environment that removes barriers to creativity, fosters innovation and enables talent to thrive.

See Our Research Themes

Showcase

SPICE Logo
QualiChain Logo
MK:Smart Logo

People

Audrey Ekuban - Photograph

Having started my KMi journey, in January 2019, as part of the Institute of Coding project, in which I explored how the Learning Analytics Dashboard of the Open University (OUAnalyse) could be...

Read more about Audrey Ekuban

 
John Lee - Photograph

I joined KMi in the summer of 2023, and will be working with my colleagues in the OU Analyse team, developing software in the area of learning analytics.

Read more about John Lee

Testimonials

collaborator
"If you are or want to be a brilliant mind, this is where you want to be!"

Valentina Presutti, Institute of Cognitive Science and Technologies, Italy

collaborator
"I cannot imagine going to a conference without experiencing deep scientific conversations with KMiers!"

Raphaël Troncy, EURECOM: Graduate School & Research Center, France

collaborator
"Top location for SW research for decades and going strong!"

Pascal Hitzler, Kansas State University, USA

Publications