The UK government has committed to providing free, government-benchmarked AI training to 10 million workers by 2030. Every adult in the UK is eligible to access free AI training courses through the AI Skills Hub, which hosts short courses developed by industry and checked against Skills England’s AI foundation skills benchmark.
Courses cover foundational and practical skills relevant to modern workplaces, including using basic AI tools for drafting text, creating content, and completing administrative tasks. Some courses take as little as 20 minutes. Adults who complete modules receive a virtual “AI Foundations” badge.
Training is provided by eight technology providers (Amazon, Google, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAS, and others), with courses available online to all adults.
Who it affects: All UK adults; workforce across private, public, and non-profit sectors; particularly SME employees (target of at least 2 million).
What is notably missing: Specification of mandatory participation; detail on how training connects to job placement or career progression; clarity on whether completion of training leads to recognized qualifications; timeline for course expansion beyond foundational topics.