Tech Secretary Peter Kyle described AI as a defining technology and stressed the need for a skilled talent pipeline to meet future job demands.

Currently, only one-third of A-level maths students are girls, and women represent about 22% of those working in AI-related jobs, highlighting a significant gender gap in this field.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson emphasized the importance of breaking down barriers and promoting diversity in AI by providing equal opportunities for all young people.

Industry leaders have long called for targeted interventions to close the gender gap in tech, and this program is a response to those calls, aiming to inspire more women to enter the tech industry.

Mathematics Education Innovation (MEI), a charity, will contact eligible schools to provide support, which will also extend to 400 disadvantaged secondary schools for core maths and A-level maths.

The funding will support pilot training for 360 teachers and enrichment courses on key AI-related maths concepts for 450 students starting in September 2025.

Experts from the University of Cambridge, including Dr. Sue Sentance, are advising the project to enhance digital and AI-specific education.

Approximately 7,500 girls are expected to benefit from this scheme, although specific eligibility details were not disclosed.

The UK government is launching a funding initiative aimed at increasing the participation of girls in maths and AI fields, targeting approximately 7,500 girls from 400 disadvantaged secondary schools.

This initiative is part of the government's AI Action Plan, which seeks to create a strong talent pipeline and enhance diversity within the AI workforce.

A Digital, AI and Technology Task and Finish Group has been formed to advise on necessary changes in the education system from ages 5 to 18, focusing on improving digital education and equipping students with AI-specific skills.

The Advanced Maths Support Programme has positively impacted over 2,500 schools and colleges since its inception in 2018, averaging over 400 schools reached annually.