UK Government Prioritises AI Skills Before Deploying New Tools

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is investing in specialist AI training for its staff before rolling out its in‑house AI assistant, Ask DBT. Courses covering data science, AI governance and generative AI were delivered through universities and platforms such as Pluralsight and O’Reilly between 2023 and 2026. During the trial, more than 30 % of participants used Ask DBT and 61 % of queries were answered instantly, cutting time spent on routine IT, travel and expense questions.

Industry experts say the approach models what SMEs need: solid data governance and analytics skills before adopting AI tools. Theo Wasserberg, head of UK and Ireland at Embat, warned that a lack of stable policy and talent pipelines could ripple through finance departments across the country, stressing that “the UK needs a Prime Minister who understands that economic growth is an imperative in the new AI world.”