Dear colleagues,
Imperial can rightly be proud of its innovation and forward-thinking in the development and use of Artificial Intelligence for research and education.
As AI rapidly transforms all our lives, we are launching a new university-wide strategy, training and education programme to ensure we keep pace with this rapidly developing technology and are best placed to anticipate and adapt to future impacts.
This sector-leading approach will equip our staff and students with the tools, knowledge and confidence to thrive in a world increasingly shaped by AI.
We already have deep capability, knowledge and partnerships in this area, not least through our investment in high-performance computing and our industry collaborations.
As a world leader in research, teaching and innovation, Imperial’s ambition is clear: to be globally recognised for our expertise in AI – not just as a subject of study, but as a core capability embedded in everything we do.
I can now announce three new initiatives to boost our work in this area:
Imperial’s new AI Strategy Committee
To guide Imperial’s approach, a new AI Strategy sub-committee of the University Management Board has been established.
Chaired by Professor Peter Todd, Dean of the Business School, the committee will develop and oversee the implementation of our institutional AI Strategy. This will position Imperial as a global leader in the effective, ethical and responsible adoption of AI, accelerating our academic mission, supporting our people and equipping our staff and graduates for the future.
The committee will be a formal mechanism for oversight and coordination of Imperial’s approach to AI across all its activities: education, student experience, research and operations.
It will spot gaps in our investment and consider how to deploy it across our work, rooted in our academic expertise. An academic panel will be set up to advise this committee.
You can read the full terms of reference online.
Imperial-led training for our community
While we do not know what the jobs of the future will be, we do know they will be different – so we must build capability now for our staff and students.
To support you to be part of this journey, we are introducing new AI for the Workplace training through Imperial Lifelong Learning. This will be focused on the effective and ethical use of AI.
Taught by academics and industry experts, it will be a stackable training offer, building knowledge and expertise across AI’s fundamental principles, processes, agents, limitations, risks, governance and beyond. All participants will gain a solid understanding in AI essentials, with tailored modules designed specifically for staff, academics and students. Managers will get support to take their teams through the training.
Rollout will begin in the autumn term, and more information on how to access the training and expectations for staff will be shared closer to the launch.
In the meantime, we encourage all staff to complete Imperial's Introduction to Generative AI for Staff course as a useful first step. Staff and students can continue to use dAIsy – Imperial's AI platform designed to give you safe, easy access to multiple generative AI models through a single interface.
This training offer is complementary to our work to embed AI across our education and our extensive cutting-edge research.
Imperial’s Vision for Education
Including students as a core part of the training offer enables the delivery of our Vision for Education in the Age of AI which commits to an "education-first, not tool-first" approach, with every graduate leaving with the ability to work confidently, critically and responsibly with AI.
In addition, a new academic Centre for AI in Learning and Teaching will launch later this year to co-deliver, with our departments, the ambition around AI in education, teaching, assessment and feedback detailed in the vision.
Staying ahead of the curve
We are already a leader in AI. Our world-class AI research, pioneering educational offer, and dedicated professional services community places us in an excellent position to continue to lead in this field.
These new initiatives build upon other important AI investments that are already in train, including:
- Imperial’s School of Convergence Science with its central ‘Human and Artificial Intelligence’ theme;
- Imperial’s new Centre for AI-Driven Innovation being developed in partnership with the World Economic Forum;
- Imperial’s landmark investment in its White City Deep Tech Campus which will create one of Europe’s largest concentrations of education, research and innovation in mathematics, data science, computer science, AI and machine learning; and
- Imperial's recently announced partnership with AMD to develop the compute power for leading-edge AI-rich education and research.
Together, these new initiatives will ensure Imperial remains an agenda-setting institution.
Best wishes,
Hugh
Professor Hugh Brady
Imperial College London