London is a world leader in AI, with a large ecosystem of AI companies, including many startups. Its thriving AI scene is supported by renowned research institutions, a talented workforce, and significant investment capital. Leading AI companies with a presence in London include DeepMind, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Inflection AI.
AI-Related Job Opportunities in London
AI job opportunities are found in virtually every industry. Future Tech Job Boards is a network of job boards that works to connect talented job seekers with job opportunities. A recent article titled “Global vs. Local: Comparing the UK AI Job Market to International Landscapes” discusses AI job trends in the UK and London. It reports that many existing AI jobs are in machine learning, data science, and software engineering. However, it adds that job-seekers are beginning to see more variety in AI job options, noting, “Sectors such as healthcare, retail, logistics, and gaming are exploring AI-driven solutions, fuelling demand for professionals with specialized skill sets.” Finance is another field with many AI-related opportunities, particularly in FinTech. Here are some roles you can expect to see in London’s AI-related job market:
-
Machine Learning Engineer—Focus on designing and implementing machine learning models and algorithms.
-
Data Scientist- Analyze data to draw insights and support decision-making, often using AI frameworks.
-
AI Research Scientist—Conduct research to advance AI technologies and methodologies.
-
AI Product Manager—Manage the development of AI products, combining technical expertise with user needs.
-
Natural Language Processing (NLP) Engineer—Work on language-related AI technologies, including speech recognition and text analysis.
-
Computer Vision Engineer—Develop systems that enable machines to interpret and understand visual information from the world.
-
Robotics Engineer—Design and build robots and automation systems that leverage AI technologies.
-
AI Ethics Specialist- Focus on the ethical implications and governance of AI technologies.
-
Business Intelligence Analyst—Use AI tools to analyze data and generate strategic insights for businesses.
-
Software Engineer (AI-focused)- Develop software solutions that incorporate AI functionalities.
An In-Demand Field
While London is known for its AI talent, research consistently shows that demand for AI experts continues to outpace supply. In this city, as in most cities around the world, an increasing number of businesses are embracing AI. However, many employers report that they often struggle to find employees with the skills needed to work with this technology.
Future Tech Job Boards notes that, as a result of this trend, most job-seekers in London are likely to be at an advantage because there is still a high level of demand for expertise in AI. It states, “The constant rise in AI-related job postings… indicates that demand still outstrips supply for particularly advanced skill sets such as deep learning in computer vision or advanced natural language models. This dynamic keeps salaries at a reasonably competitive level and encourages employers to sweeten benefits packages to entice new hires.”
Average London Salaries for AI Jobs
- AI/ML Specialist: £75,000–£90,000 (Morgan McKinley)
- Data Scientist: £85,000–£100,000 (Morgan McKinley)
-
Data Engineer: £75,000–£100,000 (Morgan McKinley)
- Machine Learning Engineer: £72,541 (Indeed)
- AI Researcher: £60,129 (Glassdoor)
- Robotics Engineer: £57,459 (Indeed)
Future AI Outlook for London
Most experts believe that London’s dominance in AI will continue in the future. Billions of dollars in investments have been made in London-based AI companies in recent years, indicating a high level of expansion to come. In a recent market report, the International Trade Administration said, “The UK has one of the strongest AI strategies in the world, with significant government funding for AI, considerable research activity in the field, major VC funding and AI startups, and substantial enterprise adoption of AI.” It values the UK AI market at more than £421 billion and predicts growth of more than $1 trillion by 2035.
Grow London discusses some recent investments in London’s AI ecosystem. It says that Microsoft AI recently announced that it will open a new AI hub in London, explaining, “The centre will drive pioneering work to advance state-of-the-art language models and their supporting infrastructure, create world-class tooling for foundation models and collaborate closely with AI team partners across Microsoft, including OpenAI.” Google is also expanding in London, says Grow London, and so is biopharma company GSK. It says, “GSK (formerly GlaxoSmithKline) opened a £10m research hub in 2020 to leverage AI for the discovery of new drugs to treat cancer and other diseases.”