Artificial intelligence (AI) students at the University of Edinburgh have been awarded financial scholarships thanks to the British Standards Institution’s (BSI) AI Talent Academy.

The AI Talent Academy scheme has provided scholarships to a total of five University of Edinburgh students, covering the complete costs of their tuition fees and helping towards living expenses.

The scholarships have been given to students beginning Edinburgh Futures Institute’s Masters in AI and Data Ethics, in addition to AI-related undergraduate courses in Computer Science and Cognitive Science which are starting next month.

Three of the AI scholarships have been offered to undergraduate students from Black African and Caribbean heritage applicants from socio-economically challenged backgrounds, as part of Edinburgh university’s partnership with the Cowrie Scholarship Foundation (CSF).

The Academy, which is being championed by business improvement and standard company BSI’s Regulatory Services division, will also provide the opportunity for all five students to join BSI once they graduate.

The scheme was launched at a recent event at the University of Edinburgh, bringing AI experts from both parties together, as well as representatives from the Cowrie Scholarship Foundation.

Professor Shannon Vallor, who’s director of the Centre for Technomoral Futures at Edinburgh Futures Institute, commented: “We are excited for our students to learn from our interdisciplinary degree that that draws from the University’s leading experts in the ethics of data and AI, with the added opportunity of gaining practical experience in promoting sustainable and responsible technology at BSI when they graduate.

“We are delighted that BSI is our partner in supporting the growing demand for ethical skills in the AI and data workforce. The BSI scholarships are truly an incredible opportunity for our students who are intent on becoming the next generation of AI experts.”

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Manuela Gazzard, president, regulatory services at BSI, also commented: “We’re genuinely excited to be partnering with the University of Edinburgh and the Cowrie Scholarship Foundation to help educate and equip tomorrow’s talent; and influence the existence of a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable AI community.

“This collaboration reinforces BSI’s purpose – ‘impact for a fair society and sustainable world’, and we hope there will be an opportunity to build on the scholarship’s success by affiliating with other academic institutions in the future.”