Imperial launches first master’s degree to focus on the economic and policy impact of AI

Imperial Business School has launched the UK’s first master’s degree to combine technical AI training with economics, law and governance in a single curriculum to meet the growing demand for graduates with skills in these areas.

The MSc AI, Economics and Policy is a cross-disciplinary degree that focuses on how AI is governed, regulated and applied to real-world contexts, and how it is reshaping economic growth, competition and digital markets.

The programme will be delivered jointly by Imperial Business School and Imperial College London’s Department of Computing. Students will learn alongside peers who are studying computing, economics, engineering, business and related disciplines. The degree will open for applications in August 2026, with the first cohort starting in September 2027.

Aimed at recent graduates and early career professionals, the programme will help prepare students for careers in AI governance, technology policy, digital regulation, legal technology and compliance, competition economics, AI strategy and risk consulting as well as roles within government, regulators and international organisations. Examples of careers include roles such as AI Governance Analyst, Regulation Specialist and Responsible AI Specialist. The degree also offers a pathway to a PhD and research careers in AI governance and digital markets.

The programme is closely informed by Imperial’s links with major organisations shaping AI governance, including the Information Commissioner’s Office, the Competition and Markets Authority, the Financial Conduct Authority, Ofcom, the European Commission and international bodies. 

Students will develop a strong foundation in AI systems and data-driven technologies, alongside a deep understanding of competition, digital markets, the economics of AI, legal and regulatory approaches to AI governance. The programme combines academic rigour with real-world application, engagement with industry leaders and regulators. Students will also get the opportunity to complete an individual research project or internship.

Professor Tommaso Valletti, Academic Director of the MSc AI, Economics and Policy, said: “What makes this programme distinctive is its integrated approach. AI does not operate in isolation; it shapes markets, challenges existing regulation, and raises fundamental policy questions. By bringing together Imperial’s strengths in computing, economics and public policy, we are equipping students with the tools to understand how AI systems function in practice and how they should be governed in the real world.” 

Dr Rob Craven, Director of Postgraduate Studies, Department of Computing at Imperial College London, said:“Students will benefit from the expertise of world-leading academics across both Imperial’s Department of Computing and Imperial Business School. This cross-disciplinary approach will equip students with a unique combination of skills and perspectives, enabling them to help shape the responsible development and governance of AI across industry, government and society.”

Professor Peter Todd, Dean of Imperial Business School, said: “This programme is a direct expression of Imperial’s Science for Humanity mission: as Europe’s only leading business school embedded in a world-class STEM university, we can bring together computing, economics, law and governance in a single curriculum in a way few institutions can. At a moment when AI is reshaping industries and outpacing the frameworks designed to govern them, that breadth is not a luxury; it is exactly what the next generation of leaders will need.”