The Government will set up a new cross-departmental Future of Work unit, expand its target of upskilling 10 million workers in AI by 2030 and invest £27m in a new TechLocal program targeting entry-level tech roles, the Science and Technology Minister has announced.
Liz Kendall gave her first major artificial intelligence speech at Bloomberg on Wednesday, outlining how the government plans to enable Britain to “win for Britain” while supporting workers in the disruption the technology will bring.
Kendall said AI was now “the engine of economic power and hard power” and the UK was in a global race to harness its benefits responsibly. “We are at a crucial moment for Britain, our place in the world and our future prosperity,” she said.
The newly announced Future of Work unit will be based in Kendall’s department and will be tasked with analyzing the impact of AI on the labor market and coordinating action across government. It will bring together the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Education, the Department for Business and the Treasury and will be supported by an expert panel.
Kendall said the unit would ensure the government did not “look back” to fears of job losses but actively supported people to make the transition. The CBI and TUC have confirmed their participation.
Building on an existing commitment to upskill 7.5 million workers, Kendall announced the government’s target will now rise to 10 million people trained in AI skills by 2030, with at least 2 million in small and medium-sized businesses.
More than a million AI courses have already been delivered through partnerships with companies such as Accenture, Amazon, Barclays, BT, Google, IBM, Microsoft, Sage and Salesforce, she said. New partners include Multiverse, public bodies such as the NHS and the Local Government Association, as well as techUK, the Federation of Small Businesses and the British Chambers of Commerce.
Kendall also announced £27m for TechLocal, a new program designed to help people, particularly women, progress into entry-level technical roles through targeted skills training and work experience.
The initiative aims to bridge the gap between existing skills and industry demand and address the ongoing diversity and challenges of barriers to entry in the technology sector.
In her speech, Kendall highlighted the progress made under the government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, released a year ago. She said three quarters of her commitments had already been fulfilled, including the launch of four AI growth zones and plans for a national supercomputer in Edinburgh.
She reiterated the government’s focus on making the UK the fastest-adopting AI economy in the G7, rather than trying to surpass the US or China in data centers. “The race we can and should win is in adoption – making AI actually work for people and the economy,” she said.
Kendall acknowledged concerns about the impact of AI on jobs, particularly entry-level positions in finance, law, retail and hospitality, warning that while AI would create new jobs, some roles would disappear.
“Change is inevitable. The consequences are not,” she said, promising that the government would protect communities from the mistakes of past industrial upheavals and help people find “better jobs in a more productive economy.”
She concluded by calling optimism Britain’s most valuable asset. “If we unleash Britain’s greatest strength, the talents of our people, there is nothing we cannot achieve,” she said.
The speech is the clearest signal yet that AI capabilities, workforce transition and adoption across the economy will be at the heart of the government’s technology strategy in the coming years.
