A widening AI skills gap is preventing businesses from realising their full potential, as highlighted in a new report, AI Skills for the UK Workforce, published by Skills England in partnership with Royal Holloway, University of London. This report highlights the urgent need for nationwide AI upskilling to support economic growth and competitiveness.
The report reveals that while AI adoption could boost the UK economy by as much as £400 billion by 2030, most employers lack the understanding and skills to integrate AI effectively. Funded through the British Academy’s Innovation Fellowships, the study underscores the importance of building digital confidence and practical capabilities across every sector.
Construction’s AI opportunity – and challenge
The construction sector stands to gain significantly from AI-enabled tools such as drone-assisted surveying, predictive maintenance, and augmented reality for on-site safety training. Yet, adoption remains slow due to a shortage of digital literacy and limited awareness among SMEs about what AI skills are actually required.
This is echoed across other sectors. In the creative industries, freelancers are increasingly turning to generative AI tools for content creation, but without formal training, many risk issues with quality and originality. In advanced manufacturing, automation and robotics are already enhancing productivity, but an ageing workforce and lack of upskilling threaten progress.
A key issue, the report finds, is that many smaller businesses simply don’t know where to begin when it comes to identifying relevant AI skills.
New tools to drive responsible AI adoption
To address this, Dr Nisreen Ameen of Royal Holloway has developed three practical tools to help UK employers understand, adopt, and scale AI responsibly:
- The AI Skills Framework – mapping the technical, ethical, and non-technical skills needed across job roles.
- The AI Skills Adoption Pathway Model – guiding organisations through each stage of AI maturity, from early awareness to full-scale integration.
- The Employer AI Adoption Checklist – helping businesses assess their readiness, identify workforce gaps, and plan effective AI upskilling programmes.
These tools aim to make AI workforce development more accessible, especially for SMEs with limited HR or training resources.
Building a digitally confident workforce
Government and industry leaders are aligning around the same goal: to create a digitally confident nation capable of harnessing AI for growth. Jacqui Smith, Minister for Skills, emphasised that empowering workers with the right skills is key to improving living standards and boosting productivity.
Major tech companies including Google, IBM, and Microsoft are also joining the effort. Through a new government-industry partnership, 7.5 million UK workers are set to gain essential AI skills by 2030, supported by Skills England and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).
Industry experts, from LinkedIn to The Good Things Foundation, agree that inclusive, accessible AI upskilling must address not just advanced tools, but also basic digital access and confidence.
A roadmap for AI-ready growth
For the UK’s digital construction and built environment sectors, this report marks a pivotal step toward bridging the AI skills gap and unlocking new productivity potential. By equipping the workforce with the right digital and technical skills, the UK can turn AI into a practical driver of innovation and growth.
As Dr Ameen concludes, “AI is reshaping the world of work, but without the right skills, too many people and businesses risk being left behind.” With clear pathways and practical tools now in place, UK businesses have the opportunity to harness AI responsibly and lead the next wave of digital transformation.
Read next: Does AI in Construction Tech Need to Go Further? – Build in Digital
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