AI university course uptake increased by 453% over 5 years, claims study
The development and rising popularity of AI is not only impacting the tech we use, but also the career paths the next generation are taking.
A recent study by laptop and tech retailer, Currys, took a deep dive into university admissions data to discover how the developments in AI have impacted course uptakes in the UK. The data showed that AI course enrolments have increased by 453% in 2022/2023 compared to 2017/2018- and it is women who are leading the way.
Although more men have enrolled in these courses, with 5670 males enrolled in AI courses in 2022/2023 compared to 1075 in 17/18, a 427% rise, there were 2265 women enrolled in 22/23. This is a whopping 521% more than the 365 enrolments in 17/18.
As well as the rapid uptake in AI across the world, it could also be the fact that AI courses are more accessible. In 2017/2018 only 29 universities out of 291 analysed had enrolments into an artificial intelligence course (previously (I4) Artificial Intelligence). But in 2022/2023 there were 84 universities with enrolments into the same course (now 11-01-05 Artificial intelligence). This is nearly three times the number of universities 5 years ago.
To support this analysis, Currys also conducted a survey of 1000 students and recent graduates to understand their relationship with AI. Of those asked, it was found that over 3 in 10 students say that the prospect of AI taking over has influenced their chosen career path. And despite numerous articles stating which jobs are in danger due to this take over, 63% actually believe that AI has improved their chances of succeeding in their chosen career.
When looking at where in the country the most people are enrolling to study AI courses it seems that The University of Hull is the ahead of the curve, with 690 enrolments in Artificial Intelligence courses. This is followed by the University of Edinburgh with 405 and the University of Bradford with 325.
Top 20 UK Universities for AI course enrolments
| Rank | Higher education provider | 2022/23 AI course enrolments |
| 1 | The University of Hull | 690 |
| 2 | The University of Edinburgh | 405 |
| 3 | The University of Bradford | 325 |
| 4 | The University of Bath | 320 |
| 5 | The University of Surrey | 280 |
| 6 | The University of Liverpool | 270 |
| 7 | Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine | 255 |
| 8 | The University of Sheffield | 240 |
| 9 | The University of Sussex | 215 |
| 10 | Loughborough University | 210 |
| 11 | Anglia Ruskin University | 195 |
| 12 | Teesside University | 185 |
| 12 | University College London | 185 |
| 12 | University of Hertfordshire | 185 |
| 15 | University of Nottingham | 170 |
| 16 | City, University of London | 165 |
| 17 | Robert Gordon University | 145 |
| 17 | The University of Birmingham | 145 |
| 19 | University of Gloucestershire | 140 |
| 20 | The University of Leeds | 135 |
Nearly 4 in 10 students’ choice of course was influenced by AI
The same survey found that 37% of students and graduates were influenced by the popularity of AI when choosing which course to study. This mindset is reflected in the courses which have experienced a boost to enrolments over the past 5 years.
Information Technology saw the greatest rise, with a 3514% increase in course enrolments in 22/23 compared to 17/18. Similarly, Business Computing admissions rose by 2384% and Software Engineering by 265%, it can be argued that all these courses present the opportunity to go into roles which are supported by AI, instead of endangered by it. Jobs which are likely to fall into this category are machine learning engineers, AI software developers, or robotic process automation (RPA) engineers.
In a similar vein, there are courses which has experienced a decrease in interest, potentially due to the rise in AI. “Language and area studies” has seen a 20% decrease in students taking this subject. AI has made translation and language processing more accessible and automated, reducing the demand for traditional roles in translation and interpretation.
“Education and teaching” enrolments have decreased by 11%, likely thanks to AI-driven learning platforms and virtual instructors that are reshaping education, automating some teaching tasks and potentially reducing demand for certain educational roles, particularly in early instruction and tutoring. As a result, students may feel less inclined to pursue teaching careers.
Finally, enrolments into “Media, Journalism, and Communications” have decreased by 7%. Although not an earth-shattering figure, AI-generated content, such as automated news summaries and even full articles, challenges the traditional roles of journalists and content creators. This may lead students to feel uncertain about job security in these areas, impacting enrolment.
You can see the full study, along with the methodology, here: https://www.currys.co.uk/techtalk/computing/laptops/smart-studies.html
