A study conducted by Currys has shown a significant increase in the number of students enrolling in artificial intelligence (AI) courses in UK universities over the past five years.
The study examined university admissions data and found a 453% increase in enrolments for AI courses in the academic year 2022/2023 compared to 2017/2018. During this period, the number of men enrolling in AI courses rose from 1,075 to 5,670, marking a 427% increase. Meanwhile, the enrolment of women saw an even higher surge of 521%, with 2,265 enrolling in 2022/2023, an increase from just 365 in 2017/2018.
This rise in enrolment is attributed to both the growing prominence of AI globally and the increased accessibility of AI courses. In 2017/2018, only 29 out of 291 universities analysed had enrolments in AI courses. By 2022/2023, this number had increased to 84 universities.
In addition to analysing enrolment data, Currys conducted a survey of 1,000 students and recent graduates to explore the influence of AI on their educational and career choices. The survey revealed that over 30% of respondents indicated that the anticipated "AI takeover" has affected their career decisions. Despite concerns over job security due to AI, 63% of the respondents felt that AI has actually enhanced their career prospects.
University enrolment figures showed that The University of Hull led with 690 students in AI courses, followed by the University of Edinburgh with 405 students, and the University of Bradford with 325 students.
The study further found that the influence of AI is also evident in other fields of study. Information Technology courses saw a remarkable 3,514% increase in enrolments, Business Computing rose by 2,384%, and Software Engineering witnessed a 265% rise from 2017/2018 to 2022/2023. These courses potentially provide pathways to roles that AI supports, such as machine learning engineers and robotic process automation engineers.
Conversely, some fields have experienced declining interest, potentially due to the rise of AI. "Language and Area Studies" saw a 20% decrease as AI technologies improve translation and language processing capabilities, potentially reducing demand for traditional language roles. "Education and Teaching" enrolments dropped by 11%, with AI-powered learning platforms automating certain educational tasks. "Media, Journalism, and Communications" courses witnessed a 7% decrease, with developing AI technologies delivering automated news content, challenging traditional journalism roles.
