University applications for AI degrees rise 15%, data shows
Applications to study artificial intelligence (AI) at UK universities have risen by 15% this year, even as the overall number applying for broader computing degrees has fallen.
Ucas data provided to the PA news agency showed that applications for degrees in AI rose by 15% among women, compared with a 12% rise among men.
AI degrees only account for around 5% of all computing applications, with computer science, computer games and animation and software engineering making up the bulk of such courses, but falls in each of these subjects means applications to computing degrees in general have fallen 10% this year.
The drop follows five years of growth in the subject.
Experts said the shift towards AI and away from other areas of computing reflected the growing hype around AI and the push by the Government for businesses and individuals to embrace it.
In January, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer unveiled the AI Opportunities Action Plan, which included proposals to vastly expand the use of AI tools in the public sector, as well as plans to invest heavily in improving and expanding the UK's AI infrastructure in the hope of making the UK a global leader in the technology.
BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, which also reviewed the data, said it showed young people were aware of the potential impact of AI on the world in the years to come.
Julia Adamson, MD for education at BCS, said: 'Young people – and a rising percentage of young women – know studying AI gives them the power to change the world. The results reflect the changing digital economy. AI and information systems are emerging fields, particularly for female applicants, which is a positive step towards a more diverse tech workforce.
'The Government's strategy to make the UK a global AI leader relies largely on growing the pipeline of university graduates in a range of related subjects, along with digital apprenticeships and other professional development courses.
'Specialised AI degrees are starting to grow steeply, but these are still small numbers, compared to computing courses overall.
'It's also true that people with degrees other than computing will look to enter AI through the postgraduate conversion route, such as the Google DeepMind Research Ready programme.
'We're talking to government, computing teachers in our community, universities and industry about the possible driving factors behind the overall computing trends.
'Those include – the market for entry level developer roles, whether AI has changed perceptions of tech careers, the role of big tech in geopolitics, the endemic under-representation of women in technology, and subject choices early in education.'
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