Rolls-Royce will co-operate with IT research institutes in the UK and Germany to increase its digital capabilities, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence. The engine maker says it has signed a tentative agreement with the London-based Alan Turing Institute to conduct collaborative data science research and to develop "next-generation artificial intelligence". Projects will explore how data science can be applied on an industrial scale, how AI can be employed across supply chains, data-centric engineering and predictive maintenance, and the role of data analytics and AI in science. R-R chief digital officer Neil Crockett states the partnership is about "delivering real-world impact from AI technologies… on an industrial scale". He says AI is "central to unleashing huge value" for R-R's customers and for the manufacturer's internal processes.