NHS professionals are to be trained in practical AI skills, under a new government initiative to upskill 10 million people by 2030.
The AI Skills Boost scheme offers free AI foundations training via the government’s AI Skills Hub.
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The government said it aims to build confidence among workers, such as NHS staff and local government employees, and to set standards for best-practice AI upskilling.
Modules aim to help the workforce use AI tools effectively for basic tasks, such as drafting text and completing administrative work, freeing time to focus on other priorities.
Training is available to every adult in the UK, with courses taking as little as 20 minutes.
Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary, Liz Kendall, said: ‘Change is inevitable, but the consequences of change are not. We will protect people from the risks of AI while ensuring everyone can share in its benefits.
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‘That starts with giving people the skills and confidence they need to seize the opportunities AI brings, putting the power and control into their hands.’
The government is also launching a new AI and the Future of Work Unit to provide analysis and evidence on how AI will impact the economy and labour market. It will advise on when new policies should be implemented across government.
In addition, Ms Kendall announced £27 million funding to kickstart a TechLocal scheme – part of the £187 million TechFirst programme – which will help employers fill or create up to 1,000 tech jobs in communities across the UK.
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This latest initiative comes at a time of wider technological transformation for the health service.
Recent announcements have included a pilot into the use of AI and robotics to find lung cancer, the NHS being encouraged to use AI notetaking tools and NICE draft guidance recommending the use of a digital tool that can interpret spirometry tests.
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