Britain is accelerating its push to become the fastest AI-adopting economy in the G7 with a major nationwide initiative.
Every adult in the UK can now access free AI training, as the government dramatically expands a joint programme with industry to equip 10 million workers with practical artificial intelligence skills by the end of the decade.
The move marks one of the most ambitious national upskilling efforts in modern British history and signals a major shift in how the workforce is being prepared for an AI-driven economy.
Commenting on the landmark AI drive, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Liz Kendall, said: “We want AI to work for Britain, and that means ensuring Britons can work with AI.
“Change is inevitable, but the consequences of change are not. 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.”
A national skills push for the AI era
The expansion comes as the UK sets its sights on becoming the G7’s fastest adopter of AI. Ministers believe widespread AI capability could unlock as much as £140bn in economic value each year by boosting productivity, reducing routine work, and creating more high-skilled roles.
Yet the challenge is clear. New research shows just 21% of UK workers currently feel confident using AI at work. Adoption remains patchy, with only one in six UK businesses using AI tools by mid-2025.
Smaller firms are falling furthest behind: microbusinesses are 45% less likely to adopt AI than large organisations.
Free AI training for work-ready skills
To close this gap, the government has launched a new suite of short, free AI training courses hosted on its AI Skills Hub.
Developed by leading technology firms, the courses have been assessed against Skills England’s new AI foundation skills benchmark, giving learners confidence that the training meets nationally recognised standards.
Most courses take under 20 minutes and are fully online, making them accessible to anyone with an internet connection. Learners gain hands-on skills in using everyday AI tools for tasks such as drafting text, creating content, analysing information and streamlining administrative work.
On completion, participants receive a virtual AI Foundations badge, designed to signal credible workplace capability to employers.
Since June, more than one million courses have already been completed, highlighting strong demand for practical, bite-sized learning.
Reaching public services and small businesses
The programme is being rolled out across both public and private sectors. NHS staff and local government employees are among those set to benefit, with Britain’s largest employer – the NHS – playing a central role in scaling the initiative.
The ambition is now to reach 10 million workers this decade, including at least 2 million employees from small and medium-sized enterprises. Government officials describe the effort as the biggest targeted training programme since the launch of the Open University in the 1960s.
Industry and government join forces
Speaking at Bloomberg’s London headquarters, the Technology Secretary confirmed a major expansion of industry partners supporting the programme.
New organisations joining include the British Chambers of Commerce, Cisco, Cognizant, the Confederation of British Industry, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Institute of Directors, the Local Government Association, Multiverse, Pax8, techUK, and key government departments.
They join founding partners such as Accenture, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, IBM, Salesforce and Barclays, all committed to delivering free AI training at a national scale.
Preparing for the future of work
Alongside the skills rollout, the government has launched a new AI and the Future of Work Unit. Backed by experts from business and trade unions, the unit will monitor how AI is reshaping jobs, wages and productivity, ensuring policy keeps pace with technological change.
Its mission is to help workers adapt, protect communities from disruption, and ensure AI-driven growth leads to better, more secure jobs.
Funding, scholarships and local growth
Additional investment underpins the strategy. A £27m boost to the TechLocal scheme – part of the £187m TechFirst programme – will support up to 1,000 new tech jobs nationwide, alongside AI-focused traineeships, professional courses and work experience.
The government has also opened applications for the Spärck AI Scholarship at nine UK universities. Up to 100 postgraduate AI and STEM students will receive full tuition, living support, mentorship and industry placements.
Together with the wider Skills for Life digital programme, free AI training is now positioned as a cornerstone of the UK’s industrial strategy, aimed at ensuring no worker, business, or community is left behind in the AI transition.
