Free AI classes now open to every UK adult - upskill for better jobs in 2026

The government has announced that every adult in the UK can now take free online courses to learn practical AI skills.

The aim is to help people feel confident using AI at work and boost job opportunities across the country.

Chair of Skills England and Co-Chair of the Digital Skills Council, Phil Smith said: “AI is moving at an incredible pace and presents huge opportunity for productivity and growth. Skills England has worked rapidly with tech companies to make sure the courses chosen for the AI Skills Boost programme provide the quality and capability businesses need right now.

“It’s also a huge step forward that everyone who completes these short courses will get digital badges that properly recognise what they’ve learned. It’s a simple idea that will make a huge difference.”

This is part of a major push to upskill 10 million workers by 2030. It’s one of the biggest training programmes the UK has ever launched.

What’s new?

The government and major industry partners have expanded their “AI Skills Boost” programme. Here’s what’s just been announced:

• Free AI foundations training for all adults
• A new AI and the Future of Work Unit to support workers and businesses as jobs change
• £27 million in new funding to help people get tech jobs locally

The new training courses have also been checked against Skills England’s AI foundation skills benchmark, so people know they’re learning the right things.

Who can take the free AI courses?

Every adult in the UK can take the free AI classes offered by the government. There are no entry requirements, and the courses are available online.

It’s a great opportunity to get free training so you can continue developing in your chosen career field (or even switch careers altogether).

What does the free AI training cover

The courses are designed to help people use simple AI tools in everyday work tasks. Many of the classes take under 20 minutes.

Some of the meatier courses on offer right now include:

• Google – Introduction to Generative AI
• Accenture – Digital Skills: Artificial Intelligence
• IBM – Getting started with AI
• Microsoft & Founderz – Learn AI for Business Success

These courses cover topics like the evolution of AI, prompt engineering, and using AI tools in real workflows. Those marked with a blue AI Skills Boost badge also cover all six AI Foundation Skills for Work which should give you a solid base to build on in your workplace.

These foundational courses are completely free, but you can opt to take more advanced classes through the AI Skills Hub which do come with a fee.

How to apply

You can apply through the government’s AI Skills Hub. It’s a straightforward process which took us less than five minutes to complete. Here’s what to do to get signed up.

• Visit the AI Skills Boost page on the AI Skills Hub website
• Go to the course catalogue by tapping the "Do you want to develop your AI skills? Explore here" banner under the AI Skills Boost video.
• Pick from one of the courses in the course catalogue; those marked with an AI badge cover all six AI Foundation Skills for Work
• Fill out the registration form; it's quick and easy to do, though you'll need to confirm your email
• Get started on your learning journey

Why this matters

AI is already changing how we work, but many people don’t feel ready for it. Only 21% of UK workers feel confident using AI at wokr and only 1 in 6 businesses used AI in mid-2025. Small businesses are much less likely to adopt AI than large firms.

The government hopes this training will help:

• give workers the confidence to use AI safely
• boost productivity
• open up more skilled, higher‑paid jobs
• free people from repetitive tasks
• support local communities with new tech roles

The goal is to make the UK the leading AI adopter in the G7.

Key takeaways

• Every UK adult can now access free AI courses online with no entry requirements.
• The training is part of a major plan to upskill 10 million people by 2030.
• Courses are short (some under 20 minutes) and cover practical AI skills you can use at work.
• Classes marked with the AI Skills Boost badge meet all six AI Foundation Skills for Work.
• You apply through the AI Skills Hub; the sign‑up process takes only a few minutes.
• The government hopes the programme will boost confidence, productivity and access to better jobs, especially as AI becomes a bigger part of everyday work.