Key Takeaways
- Wolverhampton University has launched CYBRAI, a new research centre dedicated to cyber resilience and artificial intelligence.
- The centre will focus on strategies to combat cyber attacks and explore the evolving role of AI.
- A primary goal is to improve how organizations recover from cyber breaches and minimize resulting damage.
- CYBRAI is described as the first UK centre to integrate research into both cyber resilience and AI under one roof.
A new research hub, the Centre for Cyber Resilience and Artificial Intelligence (CYBRAI), has officially opened at Wolverhampton University. Its director, Professor Zeeshan Pervez, says it will become a leading force in addressing the global increase in cyber attacks and the rapid development of AI.
CYBRAI aims to unite experts from academia, industry, and government. Together, they will research ways to limit cyber attacks and understand the societal and industrial impact of AI’s growth, tackling ongoing digital challenges.
Professor Pervez highlighted that the centre is the first of its kind in the UK to bring these two crucial fields together. A team of 20 academics will be based at the university, which itself experienced a cyber attack in 2024.
A significant part of their work will involve strengthening the recovery process for businesses and operations after they suffer a cyber attack. The team will also monitor and research AI’s expanding role in innovation and how to manage any associated threats.
“Cyber attacks will keep on happening,” Professor Pervez told BBC News, pointing to recent incidents at major companies. “But it’s all about how quickly you can recover from those attacks.” He explained that researchers will focus on reducing the “collateral damage” from system breaches.
The need for such a centre is clear. The Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025 stated that 43% of businesses and 30% of charities experienced a cyber-security breach or attack in the last year. Additionally, a National Audit Office report from January identified “substantial gaps in cyber-resilience” in numerous critical government IT systems.
Professor Pervez added that Europe has seen a 35% rise in cyber attacks on organizations, with an average of 1,300 attacks weekly per organization in the EU. He also stressed AI’s transformative power, noting how ChatGPT reached 100 million users in just two months, far surpassing the adoption rates of older technologies.
“AI is powering the digital transformation,” he said. The centre’s location in Wolverhampton is seen as beneficial, complementing the growing number of IT and cyber-security firms in the West Midlands. Professor Pervez emphasized CYBRAI’s distinct approach: “Our niche is that we are bringing both of them under one umbrella because they go hand in hand with each other.”
