PwC named delivery partner for government’s AI Skills Boost programme

PwC has been tapped by the government to serve as a delivery partner for its national AI skills initiative. The AI Skills Hub aims to reach 10 million workers by 2030.

For all the hype around the power and potential of AI, what has repeatedly been shown is that without empowering the human workers using it, it fails to live up to expectations at every turn. Recent PwC research suggests the UK economy will have to rapidly address this, if it is really to reorientate around the technology in the way businesses and the government insist is essential for the future.  

A 96% majority of employers have an AI skills gap, while 90% have gaps across five or more skill areas. And PwC also claims 91% are concerned the gap will negatively impact their organisation. And despite knowing this, only 25% of UK CEOs the researchers spoke to felt confident they could attract high-quality AI talent – compared with 42% globally, highlighting why building homegrown capability is essential.

To help address this, the UK 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 give advice on things such as how to prompt chatbots or use them to assist with admin tasks – with many courses accessible for free, or subsidised – aiming to reach 10 million workers by 2030.

Tech giants including Amazon, Google and Microsoft have helped design the AI skills training courses, with 14 courses giving those who complete them a virtual badge. Meanwhile, PwC itself has been appointed as delivery partner for the AI Skills Boost programme.

Since launching in 2025, the AI Skills Hub has established the UK’s first national AI upskilling infrastructure - and the momentum is building. Designed by PwC UK in collaboration with Innovate UK, a release from the firm says participants will gain practical, job-ready skills. In seven months, more than 2,000 users have registered and started learning, choosing from over 660 high-quality courses signposted on the platform.

At the same time, the Hub’s outreach has deliberately targeted hard-to-reach regions and sectors, increasing awareness of responsible AI principles and boosting adoption where it’s needed most. More than 65 events have been delivered in cities including Cardiff, Belfast, Bradford, Glasgow, Birmingham, Coventry, Nottingham and London, bringing practical AI learning to communities nationwide. Behind the scenes, the team has engaged over 2,000 employers and learners through interviews, surveys, focus groups and consultations, ensuring the programme reflects their real needs.  

Carl Sizer, chief markets officer at PwC in the UK, said, "We’re proud to be delivering this programme and contributing to these critical upskilling efforts for the UK. This isn’t just about technology – it’s about people, places and opportunity. AI has the potential to drive growth in every region and every industry, but only if we ensure the benefits are shared widely. By taking a nationwide, cross-sector approach, we can, create jobs in communities that need them most, and build an AI-ready workforce that reflects the whole of the UK – not just traditional tech hubs."

Wider issues

The NHS, the British Chambers of Commerce and the Local Government Association are among those who have committed to encouraging their staff and members to sign up. However, while other organisations have welcomed the news, there has been some criticism of both its onus on workers alone to adapt AI, and on the short technical nature of the information, rather than deeper examinations of the subject.

Sharron Gunn, head of BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, told the BBC the UK needs to see “far greater understanding of technology at board level, so those involved in governance of organisations, who are often giving their time unpaid, have the knowledge and confidence to scrutinise executive decisions."

Meanwhile, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) warned workers will need to know more than "just how to prompt a chatbot" as the workforce adapts to the growth of AI. Roa Powell, senior research fellow at the IPPR warned that skills for the age of AI “can’t be reduced to short technical courses alone," and that “workers also need support to build judgement, critical thinking, physical skills, leadership and the confidence to use these tools safely.”