Training and skills gaps for AI in four selected sectors

Developed through the BridgeAI programme, this white paper provides a comprehensive, evidence-based assessment of the AI training and skills gap across four priority sectors: Agriculture and Food Processing, Construction, Creative Industries and Transport, Warehousing and Logistics. It represents the starting point for the AI Skills Hub, grounding the programme in a clear understanding of current capability, demand and systemic barriers.

As AI technologies continue to advance rapidly, organisations across the UK are under growing pressure to adopt and integrate it into their organisations. However, while interest in AI adoption is high, many employers report uncertainty about where to begin, how to build internal capability and how to ensure AI is deployed safely and responsibly. This first white paper responds to that challenge by focusing not on technology itself, but on the skills, training and organisational readiness required to make AI adoption viable in practice. Grounded in extensive research, the white paper provides a robust picture of the current AI skills landscape. It highlights both the scale of unmet demand and the risks of inaction, particularly for organisations without the resources or expertise to navigate a fragmented training ecosystem.

The findings are based on an extensive programme of research and engagement including: a review of 120+ academic and policy documents; the design and development of an ‘AI skills taxonomy’; a detailed quantitative analysis of 65m+ job postings/vacancies from 2018 to 2024; a survey of 500+ UK businesses between February to May 2025; and a series of in-depth semi-structured interviews with employers, training providers, technology partners and other key stakeholders across the four selected sectors, conducted between February and June 2025.

Why AI skills matter now

Across all four priority sectors, employers report that AI is no longer a future consideration — it is already shaping productivity, competitiveness, workforce roles and service delivery. However, the research finds that skills shortages are one of the most significant barriers preventing organisations from translating AI potential into real world impact.

These skills gaps are not limited to highly technical roles. Employers consistently highlight shortages in foundational digital and data literacy, responsible AI and governance, critical and analytical thinking and change management. Without these capabilities, the evidence shows that organisations struggle to move beyond experimentation, manage risk or embed AI into day-to-day operations.

Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) face particularly acute challenges. Limited time, funding, and access to trusted guidance mean that many SMEs risk being left behind, even as AI adoption accelerates elsewhere. The white paper makes clear that without coordinated intervention, AI skills gaps could widen existing inequalities between sectors, regions, and organisation sizes.

What the white paper provides

A clear picture of demand and supply

A central contribution of the white paper is the evidence it presents on the mismatch between demand for AI skills and the current supply of training.
The research highlights:

• rapidly increasing demand for AI-related skills across technical, non-technical, and leadership roles
• fragmented and uneven training provision, often misaligned with real organisational needs
• a lack of clear progression pathways to help employers and individuals sequence learning effectively

This demand–supply imbalance helps explain why many organisations struggle to move beyond early experimentation with AI.

A broader definition of AI skills

The white paper moves beyond a narrow focus on technical capability to show that effective AI adoption also depends on a wider set of skills.

In particular, it identifies the importance of:

• foundational digital and data literacy
• responsible AI, ethics, and governance
• critical and analytical thinking
• change management and workforce engagement

These skills are essential for embedding AI safely and sustainably yet are often under represented in existing training offers.

Insight into the business impact of skills gaps

The research demonstrates clearly that AI skills gaps are not a future concern — they are already having tangible impacts on organisational performance.

Employers report that skills shortages are contributing to delayed innovation, reduced productivity, increased pressure on existing staff, and missed opportunities to improve services and operations. Over time, these impacts risk widening gaps between organisations that are able to invest in AI capability and those that are not.

A focus on SMEs and unequal readiness

SMEs face particularly acute challenges when it comes to AI upskilling. Limited time, funding, and access to trusted guidance make it harder for SMEs to assess high quality training, prioritise learning, and manage perceived risk.

The white paper highlights that without targeted, coordinated support, SMEs risk being disproportionately left behind as AI adoption accelerates across the economy.

A strong rationale for coordinated action

Taken together, the evidence makes the case for a coordinated, ecosystem-wide response to AI skills gaps.

The evidence presented in the white paper supports the creation of the AI Skills Hub as a practical intervention to:

• aggregate and signpost trusted training provision
• improve visibility of skills demand
• support sector-specific, role-relevant pathways specific, role relevant pathways
• reduce confusion and duplication across the AI skills landscape

Rather than introducing new training in isolation, the Hub is positioned as an enabling mechanism to help organisations navigate complexity and build capability with confidence.

Who is this white paper for?

This white paper is designed for:

• employers seeking to understand their current and future AI skills needs, particularly across non technical, technical, and leadership roles
• organisations interested in adopting AI but constrained by skills gaps, uncertainty, or lack of internal capability
• SMEs that lack the time or resources to navigate a fragmented AI training landscape and want clarity on where to focus their upskilling efforts
• training providers and ecosystem partners looking to better align provision with real world employer demand world employer demand
• policymakers and sector bodies interested in understanding the scale, nature, and implications of the UK’s AI skills gap