Interface engineering and safety in solid-state batteries: Advancing from human-centered insights to AI-driven innovations

Solid-state batteries (SSBs) represent a transformative advancement in energy storage, offering superior safety, higher energy density and extended cycle life compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, challenges related to interface engineering-particularly in ensuring stable electrochemical performance and preventing lithium dendrite formation-have hindered their widespread adoption and can compromise safety. Effective interface engineering is critical for mitigating interfacial resistance, enhancing mechanical stability and preventing thermal runaway, all of which are vital for improving battery reliability. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in this context accelerates battery optimization by enabling predictive modelling of interfacial behaviour, material discovery and strategies to prevent failure. By addressing these fundamental challenges, interface engineering, alongside AI-driven innovations, can play a pivotal role in ensuring the safe, long-term operation of SSBs, providing the foundation for their commercialization in applications such as electric vehicles (EVs) and grid-scale energy storage.