Talent for AI in Science: Mutual Learning Exercise on National Policies on AI in Science

• May 2, 2025
• admin

This report on National AI Policies in Science, focuses on the development, attraction, and retention of talent for artificial intelligence (AI) in scientific research. Based on documentary research, country surveys, and a stakeholder meeting in Oslo, the report underscores those qualified personnel capable of applying AI in scientific contexts is essential for advancing research across disciplines like medicine, quantum physics, and material science. However, cultivating such talent is particularly complex, as it requires both technical AI expertise and deep domain-specific knowledge.

The report highlights several major challenges. A global competition for AI talent is drawing skilled individuals away from academia and public research into more lucrative roles in industry, creating a brain drain that undermines scientific progress. Survey data reveal a clear outflow of AI talent from Europe, especially to the United States after graduation. Key barriers in the MLE countries include insufficient funding for AI research, limited access to specialized training, and inadequate computational infrastructure. At the same time, structural issues within academic institutions, such as rigid career paths, unclear recognition for interdisciplinary work, and lack of long-term positions, further impede efforts to retain experts. 

In response, the report offers policy recommendations across five key areas: attracting and retaining talent, AI education, continuous upskilling, interdisciplinary research, and fostering public-private and international collaborations. It calls for more flexible academic careers, targeted funding, stronger partnerships between academia and industry, and the incorporation of AI training into all levels of education and research infrastructure. Ultimately, the report argues that coordinated action between governments, academic institutions, and industry is necessary to building a strong, sustainable, and diverse AI workforce in science to maintain Europe’s competitiveness and scientific leadership.