Thousands of graduates 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, Business Secretary Greg Clark and Digital Secretary Jeremy Wright announced last week.
For the first time, the UK will have a
nationwide programme of industry-funded AI Masters courses coupled with
work-based placements.
The new skills and talent package is a major
milestone of the modern Industrial Strategy’s AI Sector Deal which was launched
in April 2018. It is supported by industry funding and up to £110 million
government investment, including up to 200 new AI Masters places at UK universities
funded by companies such as DeepMind, QuantumBlack, Cisco and BAE Systems;
1,000 students will have the opportunity to enhance their skills with new PhDs
at 16 dedicated UK Research and Innovation AI Centres for Doctoral Training
(CDTs), located across the country; up to 5 AI research Fellowships, created in
collaboration with The Alan Turing Institute to both attract and retain the
best research talent from around the world.
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 Greg 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. Our announcement is a modern Industrial Strategy in action, investing in
skills and talent to drive high skilled jobs, growth and productivity across
the UK. He 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. Digital Secretary Jeremy Wright
also emphasized, 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 of different stages
in higher education and available to researchers at a variety of levels, helps
to build advanced AI skills at all levels, a key commitment contained within
the AI Sector Deal.
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. said by UK Research and Innovation Chief Executive, Professor Sir Mark
Walport
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 artificial intelligence and
data is one of the 4 Grand Challenges which will see AI used across a variety
of industries and 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 Sector Deal.