According to a new study conducted by Currys, the UK’s university course enrollments have changed due to artificial intelligence (AI).
The data analysis revealed that AI-related courses enrolled in increased by 453% between 2017/2018 and the 2022/2023 academic year. More universities are now offering these programmes.
In addition, the research noted that AI is playing a greater role in influencing career decisions. In a survey conducted with 1,000 students and recent grads, more than 3 out of 10 respondents said that their concerns about an AI takeover had influenced their career choices. Despite concerns about job displacements, 63 per cent of respondents think AI has improved their careers.
AI influences career and course choices
The data indicates that women are driving the majority of the growth in AI courses. The number of female enrolments increased by 521 per cent in five years. From 365 in 2017/2018, they rose to 2,265 by 2022/2023. The increase in male enrolment was also notable, rising by 427 percent from 365 to 5,670 students in 2022/2023.
The number of universities that offer AI courses nearly tripled in the same time period, from 29 to 84. University of Hull has the most AI students with 690, followed by University of Edinburgh (405), and University of Bradford (325).
The most significant increase in Information Technology courses was 3,514 percent between 2017/2018 to 2022/2023. Business Computing grew by 2,384 percent, and Software Engineering increased by 265 percent. These courses are aligned with jobs that can benefit from AI advances, such as machine learning engineers and AI software developers.
The decline in enrollment for traditional subjects
Courses in areas that are not compatible with AI’s growth, however, have experienced declines. Enrolments in language and area studies fell by 20 percent while those for education and teaching saw a 11 percent drop. Media, journalism and communications programs saw a decline of 7 percent, possibly due to AI’s ability in automating news production and generating content. This may have led to an uncertainty regarding job security.
These findings indicate that AI influences not only the career goals of students, but also their choice of skills and qualifications. The education sector adapts to new demands as AI continues to reshape the industries. Traditional fields are facing challenges to maintain enrolments.
