UK Government Invests in AI Training and Development
The UK government announced a series of initiatives aimed at boosting the nation's artificial intelligence capabilities, including free AI training courses for adults and the establishment of an AI "growth zone" in North Lanarkshire. The AI training courses are designed to help people learn how to use the technology at work, offering advice on prompting chatbots and using them for administrative tasks, according to BBC Technology. The government aims to reach 10 million workers by 2030 with this program, calling it "the most ambitious training scheme since the launch of the Open University in 1971."
In a separate development, North Lanarkshire is set to become an artificial intelligence "growth zone," with the goal of transforming the area into one of the world's most advanced AI sites, BBC Business reported. The UK government claims this project will bring more than £8 billion in private investment to the area, along with a new community fund worth about £543 million over 15 years. Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill said the news would place the region at "the very heart of Scotland's and Britain's AI revolution." The initiative is expected to create approximately 800 AI sector jobs and an additional 2,600 roles in the construction sector through building data centers, supportive infrastructure, and a renewables park. The hub will be based at the company DataVita's data center site in Airdrie.
However, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) cautioned that workers will need more than basic chatbot prompting skills to adapt to the growth of AI, according to BBC Technology. The IPPR emphasized the need for broader skills development to fully leverage the potential of AI in the workforce.
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