UK initiates AI Skills Program For Employees And Students

Prime Minister Keir Starmer will announce on Monday that the UK government will partner with tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon to train 7.5 million workers in AI skills.

Starmer will also announce £187 million ($253 million) in funding to enhance tech skills for one million secondary school students through the “TechFirst” program, which aims to introduce AI education into classrooms and communities.

Starmer said, “We are empowering the next generation with AI so they can shape the future rather than be shaped by it,” according to excerpts released by his Downing Street office.

He added, “This training initiative will create opportunities in every classroom and set the stage for a new era of growth.”

UK’s Booming AI Sector and Ambitious Workforce Training Partnership

The UK’s AI sector currently values at £72 billion and analysts forecast it will grow beyond £800 billion by 2035. It is expanding 30 times faster than the overall economy and employs over 64,000 people, according to government data.

In addition to TechFirst, Starmer will announce a government-industry partnership to train 7.5 million workers, with major tech companies pledging to provide free training materials to businesses over the next five years.

The training will concentrate on helping workers learn how to use chatbots and large language models to enhance productivity.

Debbie Weinstein, Google’s EMEA President, described the initiative as “vital” for building AI skills, driving AI-driven growth, and solidifying the UK’s status as a leader in AI.

Additionally, the government will sign two Memorandums of Understanding with semiconductor company NVIDIA to “support the creation of a national AI talent pipeline,” according to the UK government.

Read the original article on: Tech Xplore

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