Aston University students build AI research platform now used by AlixPartners

Aston University in Birmingham has developed a generative AI research platform with Master’s students that is already in use at global consulting firm AlixPartners to speed up business intelligence work.

Aston University, based in Birmingham in the UK, has confirmed that a new AI research platform built by its Master’s students is now in active use at global consulting firm AlixPartners. The tool is designed to cut the time spent on business intelligence research while increasing the depth and accuracy of the insights delivered to consulting teams.

Aston University focuses on applied research and industry-facing projects, with its Design Factory Birmingham unit used as a testing ground for prototypes and pilot collaborations. AlixPartners works with companies worldwide on complex business challenges, and this is the first formal collaboration between the firm and the university.

According to the partners, the platform has been developed to show how generative AI can move beyond experimental pilots and into day-to-day research tasks for client work.

Generative and agentic AI used to analyze large document sets

The system combines generative AI and agentic frameworks to gather, assess, and analyze information across sectors and companies. Initially configured around the retail sector, it builds and manages large databases by aggregating material from articles, PDFs, and thousands of web documents, with confidence and accuracy scoring built in to monitor the quality of results.

The project was developed by Master’s students based at Aston’s Design Factory Birmingham. It is positioned as a step toward using AI agents to handle the repetitive, document-heavy side of research so that consultants can focus on interpretation and decision-making rather than basic information gathering.

Professor Kate Sugden, deputy dean of the School of Engineering & Applied Science, says, "This initiative provided our MSc students with invaluable hands-on experience in emerging technologies while working alongside industry experts. They gained practical expertise in agentic AI and prompt engineering to automate and enhance research processes. The project also highlights the vital role of Aston University's Design Factory Birmingham as a hub for supporting real-world applications of research and pilot testing with industry clients."

Partnership framed as career and skills development

The collaboration is also used as a skills pipeline for students and graduates who want to work on AI in commercial settings. Several senior consultants at AlixPartners are Aston graduates and have helped shape the project brief and mentor the current student team.

Project software developer Salah Ebrahimpour says, "This experience was a game-changer. Collaborating with industry leaders on a cutting-edge GenAI tool taught me the value of teamwork and innovation in driving meaningful change. It demonstrated how academic research can directly address real business challenges."

Recent graduate Anusha Kumar highlights the pace at which the work moved from concept to live system. Kumar says, "The collaboration highlighted how powerful partnerships between academia and industry can be. It was inspiring to witness the pace of innovation - transforming ideas into tangible outcomes within weeks. This project not only enhanced our technical understanding but also built our confidence in applying AI to solve real-world challenges."

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