A group of international tech firms and venture capitalists injected almost £1 billion ($1.4 billion) into the U.K.'s artificial intelligence (AI) industry on Thursday. The deal was backed by Japanese venture capital firm Global Brain, Canadian venture capital firm Chrysalix, U.K. automaker Rolls-Royce, the British government and other investors. The investment will be used to fund new specialist AI qualifications and computer science teachers, to tackle a skills shortage in the sector. Theresa May's government has been driving an industrial strategy to tap into the growing industry, which Gartner estimates will be worth more than $3.9 trillion in business value by 2022. "Artificial intelligence provides limitless opportunities to develop new, efficient and accessible products and services which transform the way we live and work," Greg Clark, U.K. business and energy secretary, said in a statement.