
UK launches AI skills drive for workers and schoolchildren
London
: The UK government is to team up with tech-giants including Google,
Microsoft
and
Amazon
to train 7.5 million workers in AI skills, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is to announce Monday.
Starmer is also set to unveil £187 million ($253 million) in funding to help develop tech abilities for one million secondary school students, as part of its "TechFirst" programme to bring AI learning into classrooms and communities.
"We are putting the power of AI into the hands of the next generation -- so they can shape the future, not be shaped by it," Starmer was to say, according to extracts released by his Downing Street office.
"This training programme will unlock opportunity in every classroom -- and lays the foundations for a new era of growth," he was to add.
The UK's AI sector is valued at £72 billion and is projected to exceed £800 billion by 2035. It is growing 30 times faster than the rest of the economy, employing over 64,000 people, according to government figures.
Alongside TechFirst, Starmer was also to announce a government-industry partnership to train 7.5 million workers, with tech giants committing to make training materials freely available to businesses over the next five years.
Training will focus on teaching workers to use chatbots and large language models to boost productivity.
Google EMEA President Debbie Weinstein called it a "crucial initiative" essential developing AI skills, unlocking AI-powered growth "and cementing the UK's position as an AI leader".
The government was also to sign two Memorandums of Understanding with semiconductor firm NVIDIA, "supporting the development of a nationwide AI talent pipeline", according to the UK government.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
34 minutes ago
- Time of India
Google offers buyouts to employees who 'aren't feeling excited about …
Google is offering buyouts to thousands of US-based employees across multiple divisions, including its sprawling Search organization and core engineering teams, as the tech giant continues its cost-cutting efforts amid massive AI investments. The "Voluntary Exit Program" targets employees in Google's Knowledge and Information group, which houses Search, ads and commerce operations, along with marketing, research, and core engineering divisions. Nick Fox, head of Google's Knowledge and Information group, said in an internal memo obtained by The Verge that the program offers "a supportive exit path for those of you who don't feel aligned with our strategy, don't feel energized by your work, or are having difficulty meeting the expectations of your role." Google's buyout offer is latest in the series of workforce reduction The buyouts represent Google's preferred method of reducing headcount following backlash from its January 2023 layoffs that eliminated 12,000 positions. Multiple divisions have offered similar voluntary exit programs throughout 2024 and 2025, including the Pixel and Android units earlier this year. Jen Fitzpatrick, Senior Vice President of Core Systems, explained in a separate memo viewed by Business Insider that "we've seen positive feedback across the company in other orgs who have offered similar programs." She added that the voluntary program "may be a fit for Core Googlers who aren't feeling excited about and aligned with Core's mission and goals." Fox emphasized that high-performing employees should remain, stating: "If you're excited about your work, energized by the opportunity ahead, and performing well, I really (really!) hope you don't take this! We have ambitious plans and tons to get done." Strategic cost-cutting amid continued engineering hiring The voluntary exit programs align with finance chief Anat Ashkenazi's October statement that driving cost cutting would be a top priority as Google expands AI infrastructure spending in 2025. And the same is happening this year as the company balances reducing operational costs with maintaining talent in critical areas. Despite the widespread buyouts, CEO Sundar Pichai recently reaffirmed Google's commitment to continue hiring engineers through 2026, positioning AI as "an accelerator" rather than a replacement for human talent. Speaking at the Bloomberg Tech conference, Pichai emphasized that the company expects to "grow from our current engineering base even into next year" to capitalize on emerging technology opportunities. This dual approach suggests Google is selectively reducing headcount in certain divisions while simultaneously investing in AI-focused engineering talent, reflecting the company's broader strategy to streamline operations while maintaining competitive advantage in artificial intelligence development. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now


India Today
34 minutes ago
- India Today
Lava Storm Play and Storm Play Lite launching in India on June 13, Amazon listing confirms
Lava is preparing to introduce two new smartphones in its Storm series, the Storm Play 5G and the Storm Lite 5G, with the official launch date set for June 13. Some details have been revealed through a listing on Amazon, which also confirms that both models will be available online via the company's website and the e-commerce platform. Here is everything you need to new upcoming smartphones from Lava are being positioned as successors to the Lava Storm 5G, which arrived in India late last year. The company has started teasing key highlights, focusing on performance and camera the most striking claims is that the Lava Storm Play 5G will be the world's first smartphone to use the MediaTek Dimensity 7060 chipset. It will also come with faster LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage, hinting at smooth multitasking and quicker app launches. Meanwhile, the Storm Lite 5G is said to be India's first phone powered by the Dimensity 6400 chip, making another first for Lava. Both devices are expected to feature dual rear cameras, led by a 50-megapixel primary sensor. While Lava hasn't shared details about the camera hardware yet, the company has dropped enough hints that imaging will be a core renders show a clear distinction between the two phones. The Storm Play 5G appears to have a bold look with a horizontal band running across the top rear portion, a design that draws some inspiration from Google's Pixel lineup. The camera setup is placed vertically on the top-left side, with the flash positioned next to it. It is shown in a blue Storm Lite 5G, on the other hand, opts for a more conventional layout. It features a square-shaped camera module with rounded corners, housing the dual-camera system and an LED flash. This variant is seen in a gold information, including exact specifications and pricing, is expected to be revealed at the time of launch. With these additions, Lava appears to be stepping up its game in the competitive mid-range 5G smartphone segment. You can stay tuned to India Today Tech for all the updates.


Hindustan Times
43 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
To cut costs, Google offers voluntary exits in search, ads, and engineering teams
Google has offered voluntary buyouts to employees across several divisions, including its Search unit, as part of ongoing efforts to reduce its workforce, CNBC reported on Tuesday. The buyouts have been extended to workers in various departments such as knowledge and information (K-I), central engineering, marketing, research, and communications. The K-I division includes Google's major businesses like Search, Ads, and Commerce. According to CNBC, the move is part of Google's broader cost-cutting strategy, which began last year with the layoff of around 12,000 employees. The program, referred to as a 'voluntary exit program' (VEP), is currently offered to US-based employees. The exact number of employees affected by this latest offer has not been confirmed yet. Meanwhile, some teams are requiring remote employees who live within 50 miles of a Google office to begin working in a hybrid model to encourage more in-person collaboration. 'Earlier this year, some of our teams introduced a voluntary exit program with severance for US-based Googlers, and several more are now offering the program to support our important work ahead,' Google spokesperson Courtenay Mencini said in a statement to CNBC. The buyouts come at a time when Google is increasing its investment in artificial intelligence (AI). In October, the company's new finance chief, Anat Ashkenazi, named cost-cutting a top priority to fund future AI infrastructure spending. According to the report, K&I, which employs about 20,000 people, was reorganised in October, with executive Nick Fox taking charge. In a memo viewed by CNBC, Fox encouraged employees who are not aligned with the company's direction or struggling to meet expectations to consider the buyout. 'I want to be very clear: If you're excited about your work, energized by the opportunity ahead, and performing well, I really (really!) hope you don't take this!" Fox wrote. "We have ambitious plans and tons to get done. On the other hand, this VEP offers a supportive exit path for those of you who don't feel aligned with our strategy, don't feel energized by your work, or are having difficulty meeting the expectations of your role.' This year alone, Google has rolled out multiple buyout programs across different units, suggesting it is now using them as a preferred method to reduce staff while avoiding forced layoffs.