In a bid to position itself as a leader in the global artificial intelligence (AI) landscape, the UK announces a substantial £118m investment in skills funding. 

The comprehensive set of measures to and funding are aimed at accelerating the integration of AI into aspects of daily life. It will set out to ‘future proof’ the nation’s AI capabilities by promoting research and developing the workforce. 

“The UK is at the very forefront of the global race to turn AI’s enormous potential into a giant leap forward for people’s quality of life and productivity at work, all while ensuring this technology works safely, ethically and responsibly,” said secretary of state Michelle Donelan.

£117m of the funding previously-announced through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) will go towards 12 new Centres for Doctoral Training in AI. The focus will be on responsible, trustworthy, and safe AI, with specialisations in priority areas such as healthcare, treatment discovery, and productivity enhancement within the NHS.

Additionally, £1m will go towards the establishment of an AI Futures Grants scheme which will assist emerging AI leaders from around the world in the cost of relocating to the UK. 

In collaboration with the British Council and UK universities, the UK government is also funding 15 scholarships for international students. There will also be a new dedicated visa scheme for early career researchers to come to the UK for internships and placements. 

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These measures come in addition to the previously announced £8.1m in postgraduate course scholarships in AI and data science. These scholarships, administered by the Office for Students, have supported over 2,600 scholarships targeted at disadvantaged groups across 31 higher education providers since 2020.

“The UK is in a strong position to harness the power of AI to transform many aspects of our lives for the better,” said UKRI chief executive, professor Dame Ottoline Leyser.

“Crucial to this endeavour is nurturing the talented people and teams we need to apply AI to a broad spectrum of challenges, from healthy ageing to sustainable agriculture, ensuring its responsible and trustworthy adoption.”