Workers’ limited time for AI upskilling is part of a wider workplace skills gap—but the available UK evidence does not verify the headline claim that 60% of workers cannot find time. A 2024 UK survey found that 47% of employers cited lack of time as a barrier to AI training. That is an employer-reported barrier, not a count of workers who personally lack time.
What the evidence says about time and AI training
The closest official measure comes from the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s employer survey. It asked businesses about barriers to engaging with AI-related training or upskilling. Among 801 employers surveyed from 19 March to 7 June 2024, 47% named lack of time. The survey covered businesses across sectors but excluded the public sector and sole traders. Read the employer survey findings.
That result supports a narrower conclusion: many employers say time gets in the way of training. It does not establish that 60% of workers personally cannot find time, nor does it show that time alone causes low AI confidence. The employer and worker findings below come from separate surveys with different questions and populations.
Why employers say AI upskilling is difficult
Time was not the only obstacle employers reported. In the same survey, 50% cited uncertainty about which AI training was relevant to their business, and 41% cited cost. These barriers can reinforce one another: without a clear view of the work skills needed, it is harder to choose training or justify setting aside staff time for it.
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Training was not widespread: 11% of employers reported that staff had undertaken AI training in the previous 12 months. At the same time, 36% expressed interest in future AI training. Together, those findings point to a gap between interest and delivery; they do not show why each employer did or did not provide training.
What workers report about confidence and training
A separate UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology survey, fielded from 29 February to 7 March 2024, asked people in work about AI at work. Just 21% said they felt confident using AI tools in the workplace, while 84% said they had not taken AI-related training in the previous 12 months. These are worker-level findings, not another measure of employers’ time barriers. Read the general public survey findings.
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What useful AI training should cover
Workers’ training interests suggest that AI upskilling is broader than learning where to click in a particular tool. Respondents expressed interest in using AI to find information (31%), understanding AI (30%), using AI to automate (30%) and understanding AI ethics (29%). They also identified understanding risks and threats, keeping information safe and private, and judging AI accuracy as important workplace skills.
When choosing or designing training, assess it against the actual tasks people need to do:
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- Role relevance: Does it address a real task in the worker’s job, rather than AI features in the abstract?
- Protected practice time: Can staff try the workflow during paid work time, with room to ask questions and learn from mistakes?
- Safe and critical use: Does it explain privacy and risk, and teach people to check AI-generated information for accuracy?
- Workflow value: Does it help workers complete a useful process, such as finding or summarising information, rather than simply introducing a tool?
The survey identifies worker interests and employer-reported barriers; it does not rank courses or prove that one training format works best. A book or practical guide may help someone learn concepts at their own pace, but it cannot create protected work time or determine which training is right for an organisation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What employers can do about the time gap
If an organisation wants more staff to use AI competently, training needs to be treated as work rather than an optional extra squeezed around existing duties. Employers can start by identifying the tasks where AI may be useful, matching instruction to those tasks, and scheduling time for practice. They should also include guidance on information handling and checking outputs, since operating a tool without those skills can leave workers unsure when to trust it.
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These steps are practical responses to the reported barriers, not interventions tested by the surveys. The evidence shows an access and relevance challenge alongside low worker confidence; it does not establish that a single training approach will close the gap for every workplace.
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