UK Government Offers Free AI Training for Adults

UK launches 14 free AI training courses to upskill workers, boost AI skills, and prepare 10 million people for future jobs by 2030.

sarah

Jan 28, 2026 - 19:08

UK Government Offers Free AI Training for Adults

The government has launched a series of free AI training courses designed to help people learn how to use the technology at work.

The online lessons offer advice on things like prompting chatbots or using them to assist with administrative tasks.

Many of the courses are free, while others are subsidised, and the government aims to reach 10 million workers by 2030 – what is being described as the most ambitious training scheme since the Open University was launched in 1971.

But the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has warned that as the workforce adapts to the development of AI, employees will need to know more than just "how to prompt a chatbot".

"AI-era skills cannot be limited to short technical courses," said Roa Powell, a senior research fellow at the IPPR.

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"Workers also need support to build judgment, critical thinking, physical skills, leadership, and the confidence to use these tools safely."

Tech companies such as Amazon, Google and Microsoft have helped design the AI skills training courses, with those completing 14 courses receiving a virtual badge.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the move was designed to make people feel confident using technology in the workplace.

"We want AI to work for Britain, and that means ensuring that British people can work with AI," she said.

"Change is inevitable, but the outcomes of that change are not. We will protect people from the risks of AI, while also ensuring that everyone can share in its benefits."

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Some of the courses are free – but some are paid – and the lessons, which are available to any adult in the UK, vary in length, with some lasting 20 minutes and others several hours. The NHS, the British Chambers of Commerce, and the Local Government Association are among those who have pledged to encourage their staff and members to sign up.

Sharon Gunn, head of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, welcomed the move – but said the responsibility for keeping pace with AI shouldn't fall solely on employees.

“With dedicated AI professionals holding computer science degrees or digital apprenticeships, UK businesses of all sizes should aim to have a benchmark level of AI skills across their teams,” she said. “We also need a far greater understanding of technology at board level, so that those involved in the governance of organisations, who often volunteer their time, have the knowledge and confidence to scrutinise executive decisions.”

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