Google DeepMind to build first Gemini-powered materials discovery lab 

Google Deepmind

Google DeepMind has struck a major agreement with the UK government to create its first fully automated laboratory dedicated to discovering breakthrough materials. Scheduled to open in 2026, the facility will be built from the ground up around Gemini, enabling AI-driven experimentation at a scale traditional labs cannot match.

DeepMind says the lab will combine multidisciplinary scientists with advanced robotics capable of synthesising and analysing hundreds of material samples per day. The goal is to drastically shorten the development cycle for next-generation materials: superconductors for affordable medical imaging, high-performance batteries, improved solar cells and more efficient semiconductor components are among the targeted outcomes.

Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind, described materials discovery as “one of the most important pursuits in science,” arguing that faster breakthroughs could unlock entirely new technologies and dramatically reduce costs.

As part of the partnership, Google will give UK researchers priority access to four specialised “AI for Science” systems: AlphaEvolve for algorithm design, AlphaGenome for DNA analysis, WeatherNext for precision weather forecasting and AI Co-Scientist, a virtual assistant designed to help scientists plan experiments and interpret results.

DeepMind will also begin sharing proprietary models and datasets with the UK AI Security Institute, the government body established in 2023 to test and evaluate advanced AI systems. The collaboration will focus on monitoring how AI models form reasoning chains — the so-called Chain of Thought — to improve transparency and safety. Both sides will also examine AI’s long-term impact on the labour market and broader economy.

The UK government said DeepMind’s contributions will extend beyond materials science, including AI research that supports fusion-energy development and the creation of Gemini-powered tools for teachers.

Google has already committed £5 billion to data-centre and operational investments in the UK over the next two years. Although that remains a fraction of its global spend, the new Gemini-powered lab signals deeper strategic alignment between Google and the UK’s emerging AI ecosystem.