AI triage rejected grant proposals, U.K. funder admits

A major U.K. research funder used an artificial intelligence system to screen and reject grant proposals, according to a report in the journal Science. The system, described as "AI triage," sorted applications before they reached human reviewers. Proposals flagged by the AI were turned away without full peer review. The funder has not publicly detailed how many proposals were rejected this way or what criteria the AI applied. The disclosure raises questions about fairness and transparency in research funding. Peer review is the standard method for judging scientific work, and researchers expect their proposals to be assessed by human experts. Critics worry that AI screening may introduce hidden bias or filter out unconventional ideas. The funder says the tool was meant to manage a growing number of applications. Details of the system and its impact remain limited. Science reported the practice in its October 2026 issue.