Liz Kendall unveils AI ‘Future of Work’ unit and promises to empower 10 million workers by 2030

The Government is to establish a new Future of Work Unit which will bring together departments, expand its ambition to upskill 10 million workers in AI by 2030, and invest £27 million in a new TechLocal program aimed at creating entry-level tech jobs, the Science and Technology Secretary has announced.

Delivering her first major speech on artificial intelligence at Bloomberg on Wednesday, Liz Kendall outlined how the government aims to position Britain to “win Britain with AI”, while supporting workers through the disruption the technology will bring.

Kendall said AI is now “an engine of economic power and resilience” and that the UK is 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,” he said.

The recently announced Future of Work Unit will reside within Kendall’s department and will be tasked with analyzing the impact of AI on the labor market and coordinating initiatives across government. It will include the Department of Works and Pensions, the Department of Education, the Department of Business and the Department of Finance, supported by a team of experts.

Kendall said the unit will ensure that the government is not a “bystander” in fear of job losses, but actively supports people through change. The CBI and the TUC agreed to participate.

Building on an existing pledge to upskill 7.5 million workers, Kendall announced that the government’s ambition is now to increase to 10 million people trained in AI skills by 2030, with at least 2 million of those in small and medium-sized businesses.

More than a million AI courses have been delivered, he said, in collaboration with companies including Accenture, Amazon, Barclays, BT, Google, IBM, Microsoft, Sage and Salesforce. New partners will include Multiverse, public sector organizations such as the NHS and the Local Government Association, alongside techUK, the Federation of Small Businesses and the British Chambers of Commerce.

Kendall also announced £27 million for TechLocal, a new program designed to help people, particularly women, get into entry-level tech roles through targeted skills training and work experience.

This program aims to close the gap between existing skills and industry demand, addressing the ongoing diversity and challenges that prevent entry into the technology sector.

In his speech, Kendall highlighted the progress that has been made under the government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, which was published last year. He said three-quarters of its commitments had been delivered, including the launch of four AI growth centers and plans for a national supercomputer in Edinburgh.

He also emphasized the government’s focus on making Britain the fastest-growing AI economy in the G7, rather than trying to build the US or China in data centres. “The race that we can and must win is about discovery — making AI work for people and the economy,” he said.

Kendall admitted to being concerned about the impact of AI on jobs, particularly roles in finance, law, sales and hospitality, and warned that while AI will create new jobs, some roles will disappear.

“Change is inevitable. The consequences are not,” he said, promising that the government would protect communities from the mistakes of the past industrial revolution and help people get into “better jobs in a more productive economy”.

He concluded by calling hope the UK’s most important asset. “If we bring out the great power of Britain, the talents of our people, there is nothing we will not achieve,” he said.

The speech is the clearest signal yet that AI capabilities, workforce transformation and adoption across the economy will remain at the core of the government’s technology strategy for years to come.