The UK government has announced a major expansion of its national skills strategy, setting a target to upskill 10 million adults in Artificial Intelligence competencies by 2030 through free training available to every adult. Ministers present the plan as a way to boost confidence and adoption of Artificial Intelligence across the workforce, and to position Britain as a global leader in Artificial Intelligence adoption and workforce readiness. Secretary of state for science, innovation and technology Liz Kendall said the priority is to ensure that people, not just corporations, benefit from rapid advances in Artificial Intelligence, stating that equipping workers with these skills is essential to protect careers, attract investment, and support sustainable economic growth.
Under the revamped initiative, every adult in the UK will be eligible to access free, government-backed Artificial Intelligence training courses that cover foundational and practical skills for modern workplaces. The scheme builds on the earlier AI Skills Boost partnership between government and technology industry leaders, which started with a smaller ambition to improve Artificial Intelligence literacy among UK workers. Courses will be delivered through a mix of online platforms and industry collaboration, with contributions from companies including Accenture, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and IBM. The nationwide training scheme will be open to all adults online with some courses as short as 20 minutes, and participants will be taught how to use basic Artificial Intelligence tools in the workplace, such as drafting text, creating content, or handling administrative tasks. Local government and NHS employees will be among the first in line for the expanded programme.
The announcement was accompanied by research which shows that only 21% of UK workers currently feel confident using Artificial Intelligence tools at work, and just one in six UK businesses are actively using Artificial Intelligence. The government views the lack of confidence and enthusiasm from both employers and employees as the result of a skills gap that is damaging the UK’s ability to grow as an economy. To respond, it has created a new AI and the Future of Work Unit, a cross-departmental body that will analyse the impact of Artificial Intelligence on jobs and the economy, advise on managing labour market shifts, and support workers whose roles are transformed by these technologies. The initiative is part of a wider effort to ensure the UK becomes the fastest adopter of Artificial Intelligence in the G7, with government modelling suggesting that widespread Artificial Intelligence adoption could boost productivity and contribute up to £140 billion in annual economic output by 2030. To support take-up, the government is also investing £27 million into the TechLocal scheme, part of the wider TechFirst programme, to create new professional practice courses, graduate traineeships, and work experience placements linked to Artificial Intelligence and digital roles, a move welcomed by many business leaders who see a more Artificial Intelligence-literate workforce as key to international competitiveness and investment.
