Artificial Intelligence

Program Overview

The MSc in Artificial Intelligence is a taught postgraduate course aimed at graduates in disciplines with a large mathematics component.  These include, but are not limited to: mathematics; physics; some types of engineering; or mathematical economics.  To apply, it is not necessary to have studied computer science previously.

The programme includes specialised, intensive training in programming and AI, with a wide choice of elective modules, a group project and a large individual project.  There are opportunities to do both group and individual projects with leading companies working on applications of AI.

The course will enable graduates to acquire the mathematical skills for understanding and implementing modern statistical machine learning methods, to master the logical foundations of AI, become well-versed in a variety of current AI and machine learning techniques and develop insight into problems involved in their application, to develop the ability to evaluate the effectiveness of particular implementations, to develop the ability to deal with real-world data and scenarios, and to apply and adjust techniques to realistic applications.  Through an intensive module on Python programming with a focus on AI applications, and the use of Python in other modules on machine learning, the degree will also enable students to graduate as skilled AI programmers.

This course is also a suitable preparation for PhD studies.

If you have further questions regarding the degree which are not answered here or elsewhere on the website, please contact the admissions team for the MSc in Artificial Intelligence at doc-mscadmissions@imperial.ac.uk.

Artificial Intelligence in the Department of Computing

A student with Professor Murray Shanahan, the Department of Computing at Imperial College London has active research groups in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, and Visual Computing. Many other groups and members of our research staff also work on theory, methods and applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning, and there are many collaborations with other departments at Imperial, as well as with industry.

We also house dedicated research centres, including the Dyson Robotics Lab, the Data Science Institute, the Centre for Integrative Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, the Hamlyn Centre for Medical Image Computing and Robotics, and more. Also, see the Imperial AI network for coordinated AI activity and collaboration throughout the college.

Graduates of the department with a focus on AI have gone on to work in the AI sections of such leading companies as DeepMind, Facebook, Google, and Twitter; many also progress to PhD research at Imperial and elsewhere. A graduate of the department recently had an AI company he co-founded valued at $1 billion, and two other graduates sold their AI startup to Twitter for $150 million.

Throughout the year, leading companies visit the department to give presentations on the Applications of Computing in the Industry.  Many of these are on AI and are a great opportunity to learn about the relevance and application of what you are studying, and speak directly with people working on industrial applications.  We also have dedicated extracurricular tutorials on Machine Learning from guest lecturers, and a seminar series on Applications of AI which has included talks on subjects ranging from state-of-the combinations of machine learning with symbolic AI, to the ethical implications of using AI to extend human cognition.