Google says the UK needs to do more to adopt AI, then it can reap the benefits

• Google's report reveals worrying adoption gaps among UK workers
• The Government should "guarantee AI training" for these workers
• Enabling the workforce to adopt AI effectively would account for half of the economic growth

A new report from Google has claimed the UK could potentially double its adoption of artificial intelligence, resulting in boosted productivity and an estimated £400 billion in economic growth.

The company's latest AI Works report plays into the role of human workers in the successful deployment of AI – effective workforce adoption could account for £200 billion, or half, of the gains.

However, as it currently stands, two in three UK workers have never used generative AI at work – a trend that's most prominent among "older women from lower socio-economic backgrounds."

Effective AI adoption

Google's report centers around the accessibility concerns surrounding artificial intelligence. Women over 55 are said to be four times less likely to use AI than men under 35, the report reveals.

It doesn't all need to be lost hope, though, with the tech giant spelling out a handful of key considerations businesses can explore to boost adoption across all workers.

The primary advisory is that workers need "permission to prompt" – giving workers explicit permission to use AI and setting out clear AI policies will help them to understand that AI's advantages are legitimate, fair and comparable to other internet-based tools.

Google also noted that AI habits are easy to form, revealing that just a few hours of training can double daily AI usage, which remains high several months after that initial lesson. Consequentially, this habit formation leads to further exploration and encourages ongoing learning.

Naturally, the report also explores how AI can save workers time – an average of 122 hours per year across all sectors, according to the figures, which exceeds the previously modelled 100-hour estimate.

Finally, Google says that supporting workers with upskilling efforts can help to narrow adoption gaps.

"We want these pilots to encourage more leaders to act now and seize this opportunity to equip everyone with the skills needed to unlock economic growth and change ways of working for the better," noted Google's EMEA President, Debbie Weinstein.

Google has also urged the UK Government to "guarantee AI training for all public sector workers."

Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, committed to supporting the UK workforce: "We will support workers to develop the skills they need for jobs in and with AI, so that all parts of society can benefit from this technology."

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