# Skilled and Mobile: Survey Evidence of AI Researchers' Immigration Preferences

**Authors:** Remco Zwetsloot, Baobao Zhang, Noemi Dreksler, Lauren Kahn, Markus Anderljung, Allan Dafoe, Michael C. Horowitz  
**arXiv:** [2104.07237](https://arxiv.org/abs/2104.07237)  
**Date:** 2021-04-15  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/en/paper/2104.07237v2/

## Key points

- Researchers conducted a survey of 524 AI researchers who had papers accepted at prestigious AI conferences, NeurIPS and ICML.
- The study aimed to understand immigration preferences and motivations of AI researchers, filling a crucial gap in the literature.
- Top destinations for AI researchers included the U.S., U.K., Canada, Switzerland, and France.
- Factors influencing immigration decisions included professional opportunities, lifestyle and culture, political climate, personal relations, and immigration policies.
- Visa and immigration difficulties were perceived as impediments to conducting AI research in certain countries.
- The study sheds light on the importance of understanding talent migration patterns for future policy-making in artificial intelligence.

## Summary

Researchers conducted a survey of 524 AI researchers who had papers accepted at prestigious AI conferences, NeurIPS and ICML. The study aimed to understand their immigration preferences and motivations, filling a crucial gap in the literature. The U.S., U.K., Canada, Switzerland, and France were the top destinations for AI researchers. Factors influencing immigration decisions included professional opportunities, lifestyle and culture, political climate, personal relations, and immigration policies. Visa and immigration difficulties were perceived as impediments to conducting AI research in certain countries. This study sheds light on the importance of understanding talent migration patterns for future policy-making in artificial intelligence. Supported by the Ethics and Governance of Artificial Intelligence Fund and a U.S. government grant, the authors express gratitude to individuals for their feedback on the survey process. The methods section outlines how respondents were selected based on participation in top AI conferences and expert surveys. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into factors influencing AI researchers' immigration decisions and emphasizes policymakers' need to consider them when shaping future talent policies in artificial intelligence.