10 million workers to benefit from free AI training

The Government has unveiled a major expansion of its current programme to upskill workers in the utilisation of AI in the workplace by making free AI training available for every adult in the UK.

This announcement comes as latest research revealed that only 21% of UK workers feel confident using AI at work.

The Government says that the expansion will upskill workers in practical AI skills for work, such as drafting text, creating content and completing administrative tasks, which could create more high-skilled jobs and free up workers from routine work.

Chair of Skills England and Co-chair of the Digital Skills Council, Phil Smith, said: “AI is moving at an incredible pace and presents huge opportunity for productivity and growth. Skills England has worked rapidly with tech companies to make sure the courses chosen for the AI Skills Boost programme provide the quality and capability businesses need right now.

“It’s also a huge step forward that everyone who completes these short courses will get digital badges that properly recognise what they’ve learned. It’s a simple idea that will make a huge difference.”

NHS workers and local government employees will be among those to benefit. Major public sector, business representative organisations,and industry partners onboarding – including Britain’s biggest employer, the NHS – is enabling government to raise the ambition to now reach 10 million workers this decade. This is equivalent to upskilling nearly a third of this country’s workforce. This is the biggest targeted training programme since Harold Wilson started the Open University

Recognising that AI will bring changes to jobs and work as we know it, the Tech Secretary is also launching the new AI and the Future of Work Unit to remain front-footed in addressing inevitable challenges.

Backed by a panel of experts from business and trade unions, the unit will provide the best analysis and evidence on AI’s impact on the economy and labour market to provide timely advice on when new policies should be implemented across government. It will ensure the AI transition boosts economic growth, supports workers to adapt, protects communities from the mistakes of past industrial change, and delivers a fair, dignified future of work for everyone, where people are supported into better jobsin a more productive economy.