Innovate UK has launched an AI platform to connect individuals, employers, training providers and AI technology partners.
The UK’s innovation agency has created the AI Skills Hub with the support of PwC in an attempt to advance AI adoption, job creation and growth.
It aims to unify the fragmented AI learning and employment landscape and fill the gap between employers’ demand and available skills.
Initially, it will focus on four key industries – agriculture and food processing; construction; creative; and transport, logistics and warehousing.
PwC research shows that industries with high AI adoption have three times the productivity growth and faster wage growth than less exposed sectors – with an 11% wage premium attached to occupations with AI skills.
The London-headquartered giant conducted research for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) which revealed that over 73% of employers in these industries report skills shortages in areas including AI systems, AI ethics, governance & regulations and machine learning.
There is a strong appetite among employees to upskill in AI, with only 17.3% of employers citing employee resistance as a barrier to training. Instead, the problems lie with cost and difficulty in sourcing the right training.
“AI is here to stay, it will develop faster and faster, and presents huge opportunities for employers and employees alike,” said Zlatina Loudjeva, partner at PwC UK.
“The better the skills a person has, the more they can benefit from the new opportunities. But for those lacking the right skills, the risk is being left behind.
“Put simply, to benefit from AI, workers must take charge of their development, because you have to be in it to win it. By improving links between employers, training providers, and technology partners, the hub aims to increase employability and AI readiness in sectors where there is a clear need.
“Providing these essential skills is not only key to the UK’s economic stability and prosperity but also to promoting greater social cohesion.”
Gary Cutts, Innovate UK executive director for digital and technologies, added: “The pace of AI development can make AI learning a daunting prospect for individuals and employers, who can struggle to stay on top of training needs.
“The AI skills hub will make the AI learning and employment landscape much more accessible.
“AI holds immense potential to transform construction by driving efficiency, improving safety, and enhancing decision-making processes. Machine learning models, for instance, can predict equipment failures, forecast demand for materials, and ensure their timely delivery.
“In addition, AI-powered cameras and sensors can elevate safety standards on construction sites, detecting compliance with regulations and identifying hazards in real time. By integrating these technologies, the construction sector has the potential to turbocharge productivity and growth, at a time when building is a top government priority.”
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