Preparing Workers for the Age of Artificial Intelligence

The government has introduced a new programme of free AI training courses to help people learn how to use artificial intelligence in their jobs. The online lessons cover topics such as how to prompt chatbots effectively and how to use them for administrative tasks.

Many of the courses are free, while others are subsidised. The government hopes to train 10 million workers by 2030, describing the initiative as the most ambitious education effort since the launch of the Open University in 1971.

However, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) warned that workers will need skills beyond simply “how to prompt a chatbot” as AI becomes more integrated into the workplace. According to Roa Powell, a senior research fellow at the IPPR, “Skills for the age of AI can’t be reduced to short technical courses alone. Workers also need support to build judgement, critical thinking, physical skills, leadership and the confidence to use these tools safely.”

Tech companies such as Amazon, Google and Microsoft helped develop the training, and 14 of the courses award a digital badge upon completion.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the initiative aims to support people and help them feel more confident using AI at work. “We want AI to work for Britain, and that means ensuring Britons can work with AI,” she said. “Change is inevitable, but its consequences are not. We will protect people from risks while ensuring everyone benefits.”

Course lengths vary from about 20 minutes to several hours. While some are free, others require payment, and they are open to any UK adult. Organisations including the NHS, the British Chambers of Commerce and the Local Government Association have pledged to encourage their staff or members to take part.

Sharron Gunn, head of BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, welcomed the initiative but argued that responsibility for AI adaptation should not fall solely on workers. She stressed that, alongside specialist AI professionals with qualifications in fields like computer science, businesses of all sizes need employees with a standard level of AI literacy. She also called for stronger technological understanding at board level to ensure leaders can properly scrutinise AI-related decisions.