The UK Government has announced a major expansion of its national artificial intelligence (AI) programme, unlocking free training opportunities designed to help up to 10 million people develop the digital capabilities needed to thrive in an AI-enabled economy by 2030.

As part of the UK’s ambition to becoming the fastest-adopting AI nation in the G7, this expansion aims to create more higher-skilled jobs and free workers up from routine task, with increasing AI adoption potentially unlocking up to £140 billion in annual economic output, contributing to the government’s wider plans for national renewal.

Delivered in partnership with leading technology companies and training providers, the initiative will offer accessible, industry courses ranging from introductory AI literacy to advanced technical skills.

Open to all UK adults online, the courses take as little as under 20 minutes and will give people the skills needed to use simple AI tools effectively in the workplace and teach the use of AI for tasks like drafting text, creating content and completing administrative tasks.

The expansion is designed to ensure that workers across all sectors, including NHS workers and local government employees, can benefit from the opportunities AI presents.

Recognising that AI will bring changes to jobs, the Tech Secretary is also launching a new AI and the Future of Work Unit to help the UK stay ahead of emerging challenges and ensure the workforce is prepared.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Liz Kendall commented: “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 selection of industry-developed AI courses has been checked against Skills England’s AI foundation skills for work benchmark. The programme has already delivered one million courses since June through combined government and industry efforts.

Stuart Harvey, CEO of Datactics, commented: “This announcement is extremely encouraging. AI skills are urgently needed as society adapts to the new normal. Equally as important are the data skills that drive successful, safe and secure AI adoption. The success of the AI Skills Boost programme will rely on organisational data readiness as much as workforce capability.”

AI models require high-quality, relevant, well-governed data; however, many SMEs and public sector bodies still operate with fragmented datasets, inconsistent standards, and limited data governance, constraining responsible AI deployment at scale.”

He added: “Embedding data readiness into the AI foundations curriculum and providing targeted data capability support would significantly improve adoption outcomes. Without this, there is a risk that AI skills cannot be operationalised effectively, limiting productivity gains and widening the digital maturity gap.”

This training will give both workers and employers confidence in their new skills and help set clear standards for what good AI upskilling looks like.

Sheila Flavell, CBE, COO of FDM Group commented: “Significant barrier to successful AI adoption is the shortage of specialist skills, with our research showing that over 32 per cent of organisations cite this as a key challenge. Without the right expertise, AI initiatives risk under delivering or failing to achieve measurable value.”

This gap reinforces the importance of continuous upskilling across all levels of the workforce, ensuring employees can effectively collaborate with AI tools, make informed decisions, and maintain oversight. By prioritising AI training and embedding practical, hands-on experience, organisations can bridge this skills deficit, creating teams that are capable, confident, and ready to realise the full potential of AI technology.”

She added: “Ultimately, the success of AI adoption hinges on human-AI collaboration. AI doesn’t replace people; it amplifies those who are equipped to use it wisely. By embedding AI fluency into training pipelines and upskilling strategies, organisations ensure that both new and existing employees are prepared to leverage AI effectively, creating a digitally confident workforce capable of meeting the demands of tomorrow.”