HR Magazine – Critics slam government’s generic AI training rollout

The government’s stated aim is to upskill 10 million workers in order to unlock a stated £140bn in bonus economic output by creating more higher-skilled jobs and freeing workers from routine tasks.

To do this, the government is rolling out AI courses (many free, some subsidised) open to all UK adults: some take as little as 20 minutes, and many are to help with writing, creating and admin work.

However, learning and development (L&D) and HR experts have warned that AI training undertaken by businesses should not be generic, or ‘once and done’; this needs deeper consideration.

Speaking to HR magazine, Annabelle Vultee, CEO at L&D provider GoodHabitz, described the government’s plan as well-intentioned but leaning too heavily on generic courses around email and admin.

Read more: The hidden risks of AI in training

She explained: “Real upskilling requires understanding what skills are actually needed, not rolling out one-size-fits-all training that employees click through and forget.” She added that successful AI adoption will not be achieved through a “one-time training event” but requires organisations to keep abreast of developments.

Liz Kendall, secretary of state for science, innovation and technology said that while there are risks for AI, she wants all workers to benefit. She said: “We will protect people from the risks of AI while ensuring everyone can share in its benefits.

“That starts with giving people the skills and confidence they need to seize the opportunities AI brings, putting the power and control into their hands.”

Emily Rose McRae, director at HR consultancy Gartner, agreed with Vultee, saying that basic AI training has “limited value” and more is needed. McRae told HR magazine: “The strongest foundational training covers what AI is, and the core concepts employees need to be successful with AI: teaching the necessity of iteration and the criticality of validating output.”Vultee added: “ As the technology and tools keep evolving, organisations need partners who can keep pace with relevance or risk being out-of-date before the course is even finished.”

Read more: Welcome to the era of continuous reskilling

For McRae, the first thing that businesses should asses, before giving staff training, is whether they need to use AI at all. She said: “If AI does not clearly support a business outcome, upskilling efforts risk becoming activity without impact.”

Callum Pennington, CEO of HR services provider HealthBoxHR, added that organisational AI training needs to be matched with a successful HR strategy: one that is integrated into the business.

He exclusively told HR magazine: “In practice, that requires HR and heads of IT to build a shared three-to-five year technology roadmap and map critical workflows by function – from payroll and recruitment to employee experience, reporting and operations – to see where AI is already embedded or likely to be introduced.

“On that basis, HR can target L&D on what really matters. 

“Practical skills for using AI in day-to-day tools, the ability to check and validate AI-generated insights and confidence in knowing when human judgement must override automation sit alongside human capabilities like communication, empathy and leading change.”