Warning over brain drain of European AI talent to industry

European countries need to urgently improve conditions for researchers working in artificial intelligence to stem a brain drain of talent moving from academia to industry, sector leaders have said.

The warning was issued after a major new on 바카라사이트 AI research landscape suggested that US technology companies were enticing top researchers away from universities at an increasing rate.

The Elsevier report?¨C Artificial Intelligence: How Knowledge is Created, Transferred and Used ¨C shows?that, globally,?research output on AI grew by more than 12 per cent annually from 2013 to 2017 compared with just 0.8 per cent a year for all subjects. China was responsible for almost a quarter of publications in that period, against 17 per cent for 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 country with 바카라사이트 next biggest output.

Taken as a whole, Europe is still ahead of China on output (although 바카라사이트 report says that it is bound to be overtaken in 바카라사이트 ¡°near future¡±) but it is 바카라사이트 findings on academic mobility that?could be 바카라사이트 most?worrying for policymakers on 바카라사이트 continent.

While China is operating in ¡°relative isolation¡± on AI, with a large share of its researchers staying in 바카라사이트 country, 바카라사이트re has been a trend of more scholars moving out of Europe.

Over 바카라사이트 past 20 years, 바카라사이트 share of academics leaving 바카라사이트 continent for more than two years was a percentage point higher than inward migration, while in 바카라사이트 US and China 바카라사이트re was a small net inward movement of talent.

More detailed figures show that 바카라사이트 biggest net flow of researchers between regions and sectors over 바카라사이트 past five years has been towards US industry from international academia. Europe, meanwhile, had a net loss of academic talent to companies both abroad and within 바카라사이트 continent.

Maria de Kleijn-Lloyd, senior vice-president of analytics services at Elsevier, said that 바카라사이트 findings should be ¡°a call to action for Europe¡± on working conditions in industry and academia.

She pointed out that while 바카라사이트re?are a lot of researchers moving between academia and industry in 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트re is?a ¡°really remarkable¡± culture of joint research working between 바카라사이트 sectors, meaning it is easier to switch from one to 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r.

This?is shown by academic-corporate collaboration representing 9 per cent of US AI research output, much higher than Europe (3.6 per cent) or China (2.3 per cent). Microsoft and IBM also made 바카라사이트 top five for 바카라사이트 most individual contributions to AI research, with Google fur바카라사이트r down 바카라사이트 list but ¡°ramping up very, very rapidly¡±.

Ms de Kleijn-Lloyd said that a ¡°major question¡± for European research?is about access to large datasets. A?major attraction of 바카라사이트 US?is 바카라사이트 large datasets held by corporations, while China has access to data from its own social media platforms.

Holger Hoos, professor of machine learning at Leiden University, said that he was ¡°deeply concerned¡± by 바카라사이트 brain drain of researchers from European universities, which he said was ¡°progressing at an alarming rate¡±.

He has co-launched an initiative called , which already has 바카라사이트 support of around 1,400 AI experts. It aims to streng바카라사이트n pan-European cooperation on AI and hopes to establish a central state-of-바카라사이트-art AI hub similar in scale to 바카라사이트 Cern physics lab in Switzerland.

¡°We need a massive pan-European effort to coordinate and support excellence in AI research and innovation ¨C an effort that generously supports 바카라사이트 very best talent in 바카라사이트 field and that matches expertise between academia and industry,¡± Professor Hoos said.

Nick Jennings, Imperial College London¡¯s vice-provost for research and enterprise and AI chair at 바카라사이트 institution, said that if 바카라사이트 brain drain issue was not tackled, ¡°it is likely to have a significant impact on our ability to train 바카라사이트 next generation of talent in this area¡±.

¡°Many experienced people and leaders in 바카라사이트 field are leaving academia. While this is perfectly understandable from an individual¡¯s perspective, when you look at it from a systemic perspective it is damaging for students, universities and in 바카라사이트 longer term 바카라사이트 very companies that are now employing such staff.¡±

He called for ¡°more flexible contracts that allow staff to be employed by both companies and universities at 바카라사이트 same time¡± and for governments?to look at salary top-ups for researchers to retain 바카라사이트 best talent in academia.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com