This blog has been written by Mark Corbett, Head of Policy and Networks at London Higher on the back of a roundtable which took place in June 2024.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is without doubt one of the hot topics in higher education and more widely – in the mainstream press it is often said to be a potentially existential threat. Within education the debate is a bit less dramatic, but it is still being seen as a disrupter to the sector, and rightly so. The rise of generative AI such as Chat GPT has been meteoric, quickly adopted, and is widely used on a daily basis by both students and lecturers at higher education (HE) institutions.
Another angle that is arguably less discussed is the opportunities that AI provides, be this for HE as a sector in its own right, or as enabler for other sectors: to boost growth in the UK and the pivotal role of higher education in preparing the future workforce, undertaking research, and in producing the founders of numerous start-ups and spin-outs which contribute significantly to the economic productivity of the country. Globally, London is very much at the vanguard as the AI capital of Europe. Although London is now a leader, we must be careful not to fall behind in both scale and in our ability to capitalise on our knowledge creation. Therefore, we must do all we can as a sector to ensure this golden opportunity does not pass us by.
Last month London Higher and Imperial College London hosted AI experts from across London’s HE sector, leaders from local government and business representatives at the Scale Space at Imperial’s White City campus to discuss the role higher education in London has to play in this space. Discussions revolved around how the city must not just maintain its leading position, but both consolidate it and enhance it in the longer term. Chaired Professor Mary Ryan, Imperial College London’s Vice-Provost for Research and Enterprise, and Dr Mark Kennedy, Director of Imperial College London’s Data Science Institute, the group addressed key questions across a range of issues.
It was universally recognised that London’s reputation as a global leader is well-deserved – we are sitting on a range of AI assets that are both broad and deep. The Alan Turing Institute, the Advanced Research and Invention Agency and AI Safety Institute are all located in London. We have a concentration of world-leading institutions across multiple disciplines from health and STEM to creative industries and humanities. Almost half of all UK-based AI companies are located in London, and we have a political will and means through the Greater London Authority’s (GLA) London Growth Plan. Underpinning this is the fact we are in a data-rich city.
The skills, knowledge and research from London’s universities are the foundations for a pipeline of start-ups and spinouts that can strengthen and diversify the whole UK economy, but we must work together towards a common goal. To achieve this the group discussed several strategic areas that need resolving:
1. Be clear on where the UK is heading on AI so we can articulate our competitive advantage. The UK can do things differently to our key competitors. Where AI technology in China is government led, and the USA is a free market, here in London and the UK we can be more collaborative…more ‘grown-up’. Our ability to convene, discuss and sustain diverse views is a unique strength. The UK has a reputation for responsible AI and our ability to harness the benefits of AI without the dangers is not only the right thing to do, it is hugely valuable too.
2. Get better at scaling up. London is a great place to start-up or spin-out a business, but barriers to access to international talent and finance, as well as having the right infrastructure means we under-perform in this area. A long-term strategy on migration that ensures universities are able to recruit and attract international students, and businesses have access to international talent after graduation (including keeping the Graduate Route visa) is vital. We should also make the most of existing structures that have expertise in business growth and investment, such as the Scale-up Institute and the British Business Bank – the latter of which has undertaken successful work on a regional level through the Northern Powerhouse and the Midlands Engine.
3. Get the balance right on regulation. We must have the freedom and space to innovate, yet we should be mindful that the EU is our largest trading partner. Too much regulatory divergence, and we may risk losing our ability to translate our outputs to key markets.
4. Have greater collaboration and better coordination. Although London has multiple assets and centres of expertise, these could be better joined-up. The new Industrial Strategy needs to ensure coordination between national AI assets such as The Alan Turing Institute, The AI Safety Institute (AISI) and Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA), whilst drawing appropriately on, and harnessing, local growth plans. This will enable all key actors to better align their goals and ensure that AI is used responsibly to drive growth and wider social and economic benefits for Londoners and communities across the UK.
5. Articulate to government that London must be able to compete globally in this space. By using AI, London can create global solutions to global challenges in areas such as health and climate change. London is the place where generative AI can be looked at in different languages, in an international community with knowledge of global markets. The question for government is how London can lead the way and work for the whole of the UK.
With a new government in Westminster that has set out their aspiration for all sectors, including universities, to drive growth, now is the time to set out a clear strategy for how higher education, business and government can work together to maximise opportunities in AI. A thought leadership piece with perspectives from local government, business and higher education will be published in the early Autumn.
