University partners with SMART Balustrades to develop AI-powered contract risk tool

The University has launched a new Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with SMART Balustrades to develop an AI‑enabled legal technology solution designed to help specialist subcontractors identify contractual risk earlier and with greater confidence.

Supported by Innovate UK, the three‑year project will deliver Rapid Review – a decision‑support tool that uses artificial intelligence to support contract analysis for SMEs operating in complex and time‑pressured environments, particularly within the construction sector.

The project brings together academic expertise from the University’s Centre for Cyber Resilience and Artificial Intelligence (CYBRAI) with the real‑world operational insight of SMART Balustrades, a UK‑based specialist subcontractor with extensive experience in live contract management.

CYBRAI will lead the research and development of the core AI capabilities underpinning Rapid Review, drawing on expertise in artificial intelligence, machine learning and automation. SMART Balustrades will contribute sector‑specific knowledge and practical insight to ensure the tool is grounded in real contractual challenges faced by specialist subcontractors.

Professor Zeeshan Pervez, Director of CYBRAI at the University of Wolverhampton, said:

“This project exemplifies CYBRAI’s strategic commitment to translational research that extends beyond laboratory‑based experimentation. It will generate substantial research impact through work with direct industrial relevance, while strengthening collaboration between academia and industry.”

David Hough, Managing Director of SMART Balustrades, said:

“As a specialist subcontractor, we work with complex contracts every day, often under significant time pressure. This project is about giving businesses earlier clarity on contractual risk, so better commercial decisions can be made before issues arise.

“By combining the University of Wolverhampton’s expertise in AI with our real‑world experience of live contract management, Rapid Review will be developed as a practical decision‑support tool for SMEs – supporting stronger, more confident outcomes across the construction sector.”

The project’s aim is not to replace legal advice, but to provide SMEs with clearer insight at an earlier stage, helping to flag potential risks before they escalate into costly issues.