The UK Government’s ambitious plans to become a global AI superpower are both bold and necessary. With a projected £47 billion return on investment, the newly announced blueprint to ‘turbocharge AI’ promises to enhance industries, boost the economy and strengthen the country’s technological standing on the world stage. However, alongside these opportunities lie formidable challenges, particularly around people, skills and public perception.
Here we outline both the possibilities and obstacles of the AI action plan, and how HR is in a prime position to champion it.
The AI roadblocks
From streamlining operations to enhancing decision-making across industries, AI’s potential is undeniable. However, for the UK to emerge as an AI superpower, it must overcome economic and people-related obstacles.
Lack of skills
First up is the AI skills gap. The UK faces a shortage of qualified professionals to fill roles in this burgeoning field, compounded by an education system that has not fully adapted to its demands.
Across the nation, we need to develop AI-specific degree programmes, expand STEM initiatives, and create a talent pipeline through schools and universities. In tandem, organisations must focus on upskilling their existing workforce, launching large-scale initiatives to retrain individuals in AI-specific competencies.
AI scepticism
The next obstacle is public perception. AI has faced scepticism due to fears of job automation, ethical concerns, and potential misuse.
It is the responsibility of both the government and organisations to attend to this issue and build public trust. This involves communicating the benefits of AI, such as job creation and economic growth, while also engaging in meaningful discourse around ethics and fairness.
HR leaders can also help mitigate fears of automation and demonstrate how AI complements human capabilities. A good starting point is the creation of transparent communication channels and involving employees in any AI transition plans.
Skills deficits, AI biases and key partnerships
For HR professionals, the challenge is twofold: attract top talent and foster a culture of continuous learning to address skill deficits. Immigration will play a critical role in bridging the immediate skills gap. However, with public sentiment around immigration remaining a contentious issue, HR leaders will need to champion the value of highly skilled workers to stakeholders and the public.
Moreover, ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in AI is vital. With corporate DEI efforts facing challenges, it’s even more important to address AI biases by diversifying the workforce. HR leaders will therefore need to advocate for and support underrepresented groups in entering and thriving within the AI sector.
Collaboration is key to all of this. Public-private partnerships can foster innovation, while universities and businesses can work together on research initiatives that will accelerate progress. Encouraging such collaborations requires HR to act as facilitators, bridging the gap between academia and industry.
AI growth zones and specialised skills
The government’s AI strategy involves significant investments in infrastructure, such as building more supercomputers and establishing AI growth zones.
Currently, the UK lags behind global leaders like the US, China and Japan, which have more advanced infrastructure and greater investment capacity. To compete, the UK must focus on areas of competitive advantage, such as healthcare, finance and manufacturing.
For HR, this infrastructure investment translates into a need to develop specialised skills within the workforce. We’ll need engineers and data scientists to build and maintain these systems, and cybersecurity experts to safeguard sensitive data.
Additionally, the physical locations of AI hubs will influence recruitment strategies. Distributing these hubs beyond London and the South East could revitalise regional economies and tap into a broader talent pool.
Global collaboration – a key to success
Given the UK’s limited resources compared with global AI leaders, all eyes will be turned to international collaboration.
The pandemic showed the power of global cooperation in achieving large-scale goals. Similarly, partnerships with countries such as Germany, France and Italy, which possess complementary strengths in AI, can help the UK pool resources and expertise.
What does this look like for HR specifically? Plans will involve recruiting globally and creating environments that encourage cross-cultural exchange. By leveraging diverse perspectives, organisations can drive innovation and stay competitive in the race to become an AI superpower.
Avoiding a HS2 history repeat
While the UK’s AI strategy is bold, its successful execution will require overcoming historical challenges in delivering large-scale projects. From HS2 to other infrastructure initiatives, delays and cost overruns have been common. To avoid similar pitfalls, the government and private sector should adopt a pragmatic and results-oriented approach.
HR leaders, in turn, need to ensure that their organisations are equipped with skilled project managers and operational leaders who can navigate the complexities of AI implementation.
Exciting and daunting
The UK’s vision of becoming an AI superpower is both exciting and daunting.
For HR professionals specifically, it presents an opportunity to close AI skills gaps, address systemic challenges, and automate/augment manual and repetitive HR tasks.
More broadly, the UK has the potential to not only compete with global superpowers but also carve out a unique niche in the AI landscape. The road ahead may have many challenges, but the rewards are worth the effort.
