“Change is inevitable, but the consequences of change are not,” says Liz Kendall
The UK government has announced plans to provide free AI training to all adults, aiming to upskill 10 million people by 2030 and boost confidence and adoption of AI across the workforce.
The UK government today announced a major expansion of its national skills strategy, setting a target to upskill 10 million adults in AI competencies by 2030. The expanded programme aims to make practical AI training freely accessible to every adult in the country, positioning Britain as a global leader in AI adoption and workforce readiness.
Under the revamped initiative, every adult in the UK will be eligible to access free, government-backed AI training courses that cover foundational and practical skills relevant to modern workplaces. The programme builds on an earlier partnership between government and tech industry leaders, known as AI Skills Boost, which began with a smaller scale ambition to boost AI literacy and adoption among UK workers.
Speaking alongside industry partners, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Liz Kendall, said the government’s priority is to ensure that people, not just corporations, benefit from rapid advances in AI.
“We want AI to work for Britain,” Kendall said, adding that equipping workers with AI skills is essential to protect careers, attract investment, and grow the economy sustainably.
The courses will be delivered through a combination of online platforms and industry collaboration, featuring contributions from Big Tech luminaries and consultancies 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.
Participants enrolled in these courses will be taught how to use basic AI tools in the workplace, such as using AI for drafting text, creating content, or completing administrative tasks.
“This training will give both workers and employers confidence in their new skills and set standards for what good AI upskilling looks like,” the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) said in a statement.
Local government and NHS employees will be among those first in line for the expanded scheme.
Lack of confidence
The announcement was accompanied by research which shows that only 21% of UK workers currently feel confident using AI tools at work, and just one in six UK businesses are actively using AI.
The lack of confidence and enthusiasm around AI from both UK employers and employees is viewed by the government as being the consequence of a skills gap, which is damaging the Uk’s ability to grow as an economy.
To that end the government also announced the creation of a new AI and the Future of Work Unit, a cross-departmental body tasked with analysing AI’s impact on jobs and the economy. The unit will advise policymakers on how to manage labour market shifts, maximise productivity gains, and support workers whose roles are transformed by AI technologies.
The initiative is part of a wider effort to ensure the UK becomes the fastest adopter of AI in the G7, a strategic goal that ministers say will unlock significant economic growth and new job opportunities. Government modelling suggests that widespread AI 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, designed to connect local communities with employers and help fill emerging tech jobs. This funding will help create new professional practice courses, graduate traineeships and work experience placements specifically linked to AI and digital roles.
Many business leaders welcomed the move, saying a larger and more AI-literate workforce could help UK companies compete internationally and attract further investment.
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