New research strategies are needed to bridge the implementation gap between our aspirations for AI and our ability to deploy it to tackle major societal challenges. AI-deas is ai@cam's incubator for challenge-led AI research that tackles major scientific and societal challenges. Projects supported through AI-deas will generate new thinking about the role of AI in addressing major challenges, build coalitions in areas of need, and create partnerships to take research from lab to real-world benefit.