Universities funded to train next generation of AI talent

Thousands of graduates are to become qualified experts in artificial intelligence (AI) as part of a new joint government-industry package to drive up skills in the AI sector.

For the first time the United Kingdom will have a nationwide programme of industry-funded AI masters courses coupled with work-based placements.

In addition, 16 centres will be established at universities nationwide to train the next generation of AI PhDs.

Business Secretary Greg Clark and Digital Secretary Jeremy Wright made the announcement on 21 February.

A statement issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy describes the new skills and talent package as a major milestone of the modern Industrial Strategy’s Artificial Intelligence Sector Deal, which was launched in April 2018. It is supported by industry funding and up to £110 million (US$143 million) in government investment.

The package includes up to 200 new AI masters places at UK universities funded by companies such as DeepMind, QuantumBlack, Cisco and BAE Systems. The masters programme marks the first nationwide effort to address the skills gap at this level, in collaboration with the Institute of Coding and the British Computer Society.

A thousand students will have the opportunity to enhance their skills with new PhDs at 16 dedicated UK Research and Innovation AI Centres for Doctoral Training, located across the country.

There will also be up to five AI research fellowships, created in collaboration with the Alan Turing Institute to both attract and retain the best research talent from around the world.

Rapid growth of sector

The announcement comes as new figures prepared for Tech Nation by Dealroom.co reveal the number of venture capital investments into the UK’s rapidly growing AI sector leapt by 17% last year.

Business Secretary Clark said: “The UK has long been a nation of innovators. This AI skills and talent investment will help nurture leading UK and international talent to ensure we retain our world-beating reputation in research and development.

“Artificial intelligence has great potential to drive up productivity and enhance every industry throughout our economy, from more effective disease diagnosis to building smart homes. Today’s announcement is our modern Industrial Strategy in action, investing in skills and talent to drive high skilled jobs, growth and productivity across the UK.”

Digital Secretary Jeremy Wright said the UK is not only the birthplace of the father of artificial intelligence, Alan Turing, but is “leading the way” on work to ensure AI innovation has ethics at its core.

“We want to keep up this momentum and cement our reputation as pioneers in AI. Working with world-class academic institutions and industry, we will be able to train the next generation of top-tier AI talent and maintain the UK’s reputation as a trailblazer in emerging technologies.”

As companies throughout the UK increasingly use AI in processes from manufacturing to fashion and construction to medical imaging, upskilling people to develop and maintain the new technology is crucial to its success in boosting productivity.

This is part of the government’s continued drive to be a world leader in harnessing the economic benefits of AI and the data-driven revolution, as part of the modern Industrial Strategy.

The schemes, aimed at people at different stages in higher education and available to researchers at a variety of levels, help to build advanced AI skills at all levels, a key commitment contained within the AI Sector Deal.

Dame Wendy Hall, AI Skills Champion, said she is delighted to see the recommendations of the review that she and Jérôme Pesenti wrote just over a year ago coming to life in a comprehensive set of skills and talent initiatives.

‘Great impetus’

“They provide a great impetus to developing AI skills and talent and I strongly encourage industry, universities and those of you who aspire to be part of putting the UK at the forefront of the AI and data revolution to get involved in these three initiatives," she said.

To develop the best and brightest AI researchers in the UK, the government is funding a new globally prestigious fellowship programme. The first wave has been launched by the Alan Turing Institute.

Adrian Smith, director of the Alan Turing Institute, said: “Artificial intelligence represents an incredible opportunity to transform our economy and our lives for the better. The Turing AI Fellowships will be crucial in building UK leadership capability, driving forward ambitious research and ensuring that the UK can attract, retain and develop world-leading research talent.”

UK Research and Innovation Chief Executive, Professor Sir Mark Walport, said artificial intelligence is a disruptive technology in a range of sectors, enabling new products and services, transforming data science and allowing the development of new approaches to challenges as diverse as early disease diagnosis and climate change.

“To maintain its leadership in AI, the UK will need a new generation of researchers, business leaders and entrepreneurs equipped with new skills. Working with partners across academia and industry, the centres announced today will provide the foundations for these future leaders,” he said.

Grand challenges

The Industrial Strategy sets out ‘Grand Challenges’ to put the UK at the forefront of the industries of the future, ensuring that the UK takes advantage of major global changes, improving people’s lives and the country’s productivity, the statement from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said.

‘AI and data’ is one of the four Grand Challenges that will see AI used across a variety of industries and will put the UK at the forefront of the AI and data revolution. Exploring the best skills package to equip people with the expertise to make the most of AI was a key commitment of the AI and Data Grand Challenge’s £950 million (US$1.2 billion) Sector Deal.