The government will create a new cross-department Future of Work Unit, expand its ambition to upskill 10 million workers in AI by 2030, and invest £27 million in a new TechLocal programme aimed at entry-level tech roles, the Science and Technology Secretary has announced.
Delivering her first major speech on artificial intelligence at Bloomberg on Wednesday, Liz Kendall set out how the government intends to position Britain to “win for Britain on AI”, while supporting workers through the disruption the technology will bring.
Kendall said AI was now “the engine of economic power and hard power” and that the UK was in a global race to harness its benefits responsibly. “We are at a defining moment for Britain, our place in the world and our future prosperity,” she said.
The newly announced Future of Work Unit will sit within Kendall’s department and will be tasked with analysing the impact of AI on the labour market and coordinating action across government. It will bring together the Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Education, the business department and the Treasury, supported by a panel of experts.
Kendall said the unit would ensure government was not a “bystander” to fears about job losses, but actively supported people through transition. The CBI and the TUC have agreed to take part.
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