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London named best city in the world to study Artificial Intelligence

17 March 2023

A recent report has ranked London as the most AI-driven city in the world thanks to its thriving tech industry and world-class universities like UCL, making it the ideal location to study or research in the field.

People sat in a cafe with St Pauls Cathedral in the background

London has cemented its position as the global leader in artificial intelligence (AI), according to the latest research by Business Name Generator.

The report, which ranked cities based on metrics such as total AI venture capital investment, the number of AI initiatives, and career and education opportunities, placed London at the top of the list, ahead of other major cities such as New York and Singapore. 

UCL played a key role in securing London’s position as the world’s AI capital for education. It is home to some of the world's leading AI pioneers, including Demis Hassabis, co-founder of cutting-edge AI company, DeepMind, and alum of UCL’s Department of Computer Science. 

The Department is consistently ranked among the top computer science departments in the world, and the UCL Centre for Artificial Intelligence is a leading research institution in the field. 

UCL Computer Science also provides world-class education in the subject through its suite of master’s programmes in machine learning, data science, and AI. The Department’s strong links with AI industry leaders such as Google, DeepMind, Microsoft, Cisco and Meta, offer students invaluable opportunities to work on real-world projects and gain practical experience. 

Speaking about the report, Professor David Barber, Director of the UCL Centre for Artificial Intelligence, said:  

"London has a well-deserved reputation as a powerhouse for AI with a great intellectual and industrial pedigree. I'm proud of the many achievements of our staff and students from UCL and the AI Centre, many of which have made fundamental contributions to the science of AI and contributed substantially to the economy through startup formation and industry links. 

As AI becomes increasingly pervasive, UCL is well placed to use its breadth across the engineering sciences and humanities to maximise the benefits of AI for all."

UCL Computer Science PhD student, Zak Morgan, added:

"UCL's base in London has allowed me to experience a wealth of collaboration throughout my studies, for example working with a charity for deaf people with the IXN (Industry Exchange Network) project during my undergrad, Bentley Motors during a research assistant post and on a freelance basis with researchers at the Francis Crick Institute."

Read more about the report.