Artificial Intelligence

Global reputation

We are leaders in AI research and education. Bristol is a top 10 University for Computer Science (CUG 2026) and was ‘AI University of The Year' (National AI Awards 2024).

Strong connections for industry engagement

Our links with world-class engineering and tech companies will allow you to establish industry connections from the very start of your degree.

Home of the UK’s first AI supercomputer

Bristol is home to Isambard-AI, a multi-million pound national facility set to become a game-changer for AI discovery in the UK.

Artificial Intelligence at Bristol

Artificial Intelligence (AI) enables computers to achieve tasks that would otherwise need to be carried out by people. It powers many of the applications and features that we interact with daily, like virtual assistants, image recognition in smartphones, and recommendation algorithms on streaming platforms.

AI is also playing a substantial role in our critical services. In healthcare, it is enabling early detection of diseases through medical image analysis, while in disaster management, AI is helping to predict natural disasters to effectively deploy resources during crises. It is reshaping the world as we know it.

Bristol's AI-focussed programmes cater to the surging demand for graduates who are skilled in the fundamentals of AI, specifically those who can design and build secure, trustworthy AI systems that help make our world a better place.

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into everyday life, it is essential that we develop trustworthy and responsible AI systems that promote fairness, accountability, and positive societal impact.
Dr Nan Lu
Lecturer in Artificial Intelligence
two people working on a smart computer

Career prospects

You'll graduate with a degree shaped by the researchers pushing the field forward and the companies putting it to work, within one of the UK’s most dynamic technology cities. 

Whichever degree you choose, you will gain hands‑on AI skills through projects, coursework and collaborative learning. Ethics is central to all our degrees, allowing you to build the expertise employers rely on when implementing AI in real-world settings. 

Graduates of the BEng Artificial Intelligence course will emerge as versatile AI Engineers with robust mathematical and extensive problem-solving skills, opening doors to diverse career paths across the many rapidly emerging AI sectors including robotics, healthcare, finance, engineering design and manufacturing, and sustainability.

Computer Science with AI graduates are well-suited for careers across computer science, from systems analyst to software engineering – especially roles demanding a fusion of computer science and AI expertise in fields such as data science, machine learning, computer vision robotics and interactive AI.

Course structures

Artificial Intelligence 

The BEng Artificial Intelligence degree based within our School of Engineering Mathematics and Technology is a programme that will show you how to design and build intelligent algorithms and machines and apply them to advanced topics in healthcare, robotics, finance and engineering. You will learn to become a responsible problem solver in AI and machine learning.

On this course, you will learn how to program; study the mathematics that underpins modern AI to understand its strengths and limitations; develop problem-solving skills by working together in teams and individually on challenging open-ended real-world problems; and explore the new ethical and legal challenges that AI technology brings.

This degree is designed for individuals who want to understand the foundations of AI technology and how to apply it safely and ethically across diverse application domains.

 

Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence

The Computer Science with AI course based within our School of Computer Science provides a comprehensive education across all areas of AI, including machine learning, computer vision, neural networks, logic, intelligent agents and robotics.

By comparison with our single honours Computer Science degree, studying Computer Science with AI offers a deeper education in core computer science AI concepts and AI skills, as well as the opportunity to undertake AI-focused projects designing and developing software for industry clients or pursuing individually chosen topics at the forefront of AI research.

This degree is specifically designed for those who want to become a computer scientist with a significant specialisation in artificial intelligence.

Students staring at a computer screen
Isambard AI computer

A university at the forefront of the AI revolution

Bristol’s AI roots date back to the 1940s when pioneers such as W. Gray Walter developed some of the world’s first autonomous mobile robots, driven by cutting-edge ideas from neuroscience and cybernetics. Since then, Bristol’s AI research and teaching has gone from strength to strength, launching one of the UK’s first AI master's programmes in the late 1990s and the country's largest academic centre for robotics research in 2005.

The University of Bristol is home to Isambard-AI, the UK’s fastest supercomputer, purpose built for AI. One of the most powerful supercomputers in the world, it can process in one second what it would take the entire global population 80 years to achieve. Isambard-AI enables researchers from the UK and across the globe to accelerate their research projects for the benefit of all. It is an incredibly exciting time to join us.

The University of Bristol is also situated in the heart of the UK's tech hub, often referred to as 'Silicon Gorge'. These credentials are supported by the university’s close ties to Science Creates and SETsquared, both incubators dedicated to fostering science and engineering startups and spinouts. Their work inspires a new generation of individuals who transition from scientists and engineers to successful entrepreneurs.

Want to explore the bigger picture? Discover why to study artificial intelligence at Bristol, including undergraduate, postgraduate and short course options.