Manchester stakes AI skills claim as Musk jets in for Sunak summit
Manchester has boosted its case for building an AI skills base with a £118 million funding award for the University of Manchester’s new UKRI AI Centre for Doctoral Training in Decision Making for Complex Systems.
The news comes as entrepreneur Elon Musk jets into the UK to meet Prime Minister Rishi Sunak today to discuss regulation of AI and to attend and AI summit at Bletchley Park yesterday where world leaders agreed to work together to meet the most significant challenges.
But the Manchester centre, led by Dr Mauricio A Álvarez, will train the next generation of AI researchers to develop AI methods designed to accelerate new scientific discoveries – specifically in the fields of astronomy, engineering biology and material science.
He said: “Manchester is investing heavily in AI research and translation, and the CDT will complement other significant efforts in research through our AI Fundamentals Centre at the University and innovation via the Turing Innovation Catalyst. Our partnership with Cambridge will also enable us to educate experts capable of generalising and translating nationally to stimulate the development and adoption of AI technology in high-potential, lower AI-maturity sectors.”
Chair of the Greater Manchester Business Board Lou Cordwell said the partnership with Cambridge was “fantastic news for Manchester and another build on our Cambridge collaboration” which she signed in October.
The University of Manchester will be working in partnership with The University of Cambridge, strengthening the cross-UK innovation cluster between the two regions. It is one of 12 Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) in Artificial Intelligence (AI) based at 16 universities, announced by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) on 31 October.
The investment by UKRI aims to ensure that the UK continues to have the skills needed to seize the potential of the AI era and to nurture the British tech talent that will push the AI revolution forward.
The funding aims to accelerate 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.
£117 million in total has been awarded to the 12 CDTs and builds on the previous UKRI investment of £100 million in 2018.
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.
