The government has launched a new programme to drive skills in the AI sector.
Business secretary Greg Clark and digital secretary Jeremy Wright announced joint government-industry AI Masters courses, coupled with work-based placements.
Supported by industry funding and up to £110 million in government investment, the package includes 200 AI Masters places at UK universities (funded by companies such as DeepMind, QuantumBlack, Cisco and BAE Systems), 1,000 PhD opportunities and up to five AI research Fellowships.
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.”
Wright added: “The UK is not only the birthplace to the father of artificial intelligence, Alan Turing, but we are 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.”
