400% rise in students doing AI university courses, according to UCAS

Degree courses that focus on artificial intelligence have seen a 400% rise in popularity in the last decade, according to new figures from the university admissions body, UCAS.

Its statistics show a big shift towards technology-based degrees, with a big growth in engineering and computer science subjects.

Acceptances to computer science courses have risen by almost 50% — from 20,420 in 2011 to 30,090 in 2020 — while acceptances to engineering courses are up 21% from 25,995 in 2011 to 31,545 in 2020.

The number of students wanting to study AI has gone up from just 65 in 2011 to 355 in 2020.

Professor Rose Luckin, director of EDUCATE Ventures Research Limited, said: “It has been clear for many years that we need more people to understand AI, if we as a society are to benefit from its potential and stay safe from its risks. It is great to see such an increase in the number of people who are wanting to learn and understand this important subject.”

Julia Adamson, Director of Education at BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT said: “A growing and diverse pipeline of talent in Computer Science and AI is essential for the UK’s economic recovery and its global competitiveness. The establishment of the National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE) is giving more young people a positive experience of computing at school and helping to create demand for the subject at degree level and beyond.

“AI degrees will attract a wider range of students than ever as AI becomes essential to solving ethical challenges in every sector of the economy and society. BCS has supported universities since computing was first taught at degree level, and we’re still helping them today to embed ethical and professional good practice in Machine Learning and Data Science courses.”

Clare Marchant, Chief Executive at UCAS, said: “There are a lot of factors that go into what subjects students choose. It is pleasing to see that they are responding to economic cues with increased demand for subjects like engineering.”