Digital solutions firm Civica has partnered with the University of Bath to support its new UK Research and Innovation Centre for doctoral training in artificial intelligence (ART-AI).
The new Bath centre, one of 16 announced as part of a £100m investment from UKRI, will recruit and train at least 60 postgraduate students.
The postgraduates will include existing experts in AI, but also engineering, social science and policy graduates.
Projects will be co-created with partners who have specific interests and challenges in AI.
Civica will also offer 3-12 month project-based internships with students joining the company to work on challenges related to their research fields in AI and machine learning.
“We’re delighted to lead the UKRI ART-AI from the University of Bath,” said Professor Eamonn O’Neill, head of the department of computer science at University of Bath and director of the ART-AI CDT.
“The UK is at the forefront of the AI and data revolution, and explicit consideration of ethics is essential as AI increases the ability of machines to inform, augment and even replace human decision-making.
“ART-AI will provide a national and global lead on AI ethics and its influence on AI innovations, applications and implications.”
Civica works with more than 3,000 major customers across the public and private sector with the aim to transform services for citizens and communities, with a growing focus on AI, machine learning, connected devices and automation.
Steve Thorn, executive director of digital at Civica added: “We’re so pleased to be supporting this brand new UKRI Centre for Doctoral Training at the University of Bath.
“The use of AI is expanding rapidly across all sectors so it’s now imperative that we’re training the next generation of thought leaders in the area.
“With their knowledge, we can make the best informed decisions as to how AI can be used both effectively and ethically in the future to enhance all industries.”
The first cohort of PhD students will begin their training in October 2019 and the 16 new AI CDTs, based in 14 UK universities, will train 1,000 PhD students.