The UK Government has ambitious plans to make the UK a global AI power. These plans are bold, but also necessary. The newly announced blueprint for ‘turbocharging AI’ is expected to boost industries, boost economies and improve the country’s technological position on the global stage. These opportunities are accompanied by formidable challenges. They revolve around skills, people and public perception.
We will outline the AI action plan’s potential and its obstacles, as well as how HR can be a champion.
AI roadblocks
AI’s power is unquestionable. From streamlining business operations to improving decision-making in different industries, AI has a lot of potential. To become a superpower in AI, the UK must overcome both economic and human-related challenges.
Incompetence
The AI skills gap is first. There is a severe shortage of professionals in the UK to fill positions in this rapidly growing field. This problem is compounded by a system of education that hasn’t fully adapted to it.
We need to expand STEM initiatives and develop a talent pipeline in schools and universities across the country. Organisations must simultaneously focus on upskilling existing employees, launching large scale initiatives to retrain people in AI-specific skills.
AI scepticism
Next, there is the public’s perception. AI has been criticized due to concerns about job automation, ethics, and misuse.
Both the government and organizations have a responsibility to address this issue and build trust with the public. It is important to communicate the benefits of AI such as economic growth and job creation, and also engage in meaningful dialogue around ethics and fairness.
HR leaders can help reduce fears about automation by demonstrating how AI enhances human abilities. The creation of transparent channels for communication and the involvement of employees in AI transition plans are good places to start.
AI biases, skills deficits and key partnerships
The challenge for HR professionals is to attract top talent while also fostering a culture that promotes continuous learning in order to correct skill deficiencies. Immigration will be a key factor in closing the skills gap. As immigration remains a controversial issue, HR leaders must promote the value of highly-skilled workers to stakeholders and to the public.
It is also important to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), in AI. Corporate DEI efforts are facing challenges . It’s more important than ever to combat AI biases through diversifying the workforce. HR leaders must advocate and support underrepresented groups to enter and thrive within the AI industry.
Collaboration is the key to success. Public-private partnership can promote innovation. Universities and businesses can collaborate on research initiatives to accelerate progress. HR must act as facilitators to encourage such collaborations and bridge the gap between industry and academia.
AI growth zones, specialised skills
The AI strategy of the government involves major infrastructure investments, including building more supercomputers as well as establishing AI growth areas.
The UK is currently behind leaders in the world like the US and China, who have a more developed infrastructure and greater capacity for investment. For the UK to compete, it must concentrate on areas where they have a competitive advantage such as manufacturing, healthcare and finance.
This infrastructure investment will require HR to develop specific skills in the workforce. To build and maintain the systems, we’ll need data scientists and engineers. Cybersecurity experts will be needed to protect sensitive data.
The physical location of AI hubs can also influence recruitment strategies. These hubs could be distributed beyond London and South East to revitalise the regional economies and tap a wider talent pool.
Global collaboration is the key to success
All eyes will be on international collaboration, given the UK’s limited AI resources in comparison with other global AI leaders.
The pandemic demonstrated the power of international cooperation to achieve large-scale goals. Similar partnerships with countries like Germany, France, and Italy that have complementary strengths in AI can help the UK pool its resources and expertise.
What will this mean for HR? Plans will include recruiting globally and creating an environment that encourages cross-cultural interaction. Diverse perspectives can help organisations drive innovation and remain competitive in their race to become a superpower of AI.
Avoiding the HS2 repeat
The UK’s AI Strategy is bold. However, to achieve its full potential it will need to overcome the challenges of delivering large-scale project. Delays and cost overruns are common in infrastructure projects, from HS2 to others. To avoid falling into the same traps, both government and the private sector need to adopt a pragmatic approach that is results-oriented.
HR leaders must ensure their organizations are staffed with project managers and leaders capable of navigating the complexity of AI implementation.
Both exciting and intimidating
The UK’s vision to become an AI superpower has both exciting and frightening implications.
It presents an opportunity for HR professionals to address AI skills gaps and systemic challenges and automate/increase manual and repetitive HR tasks.
In general, the UK is well positioned to compete not only with the global superpowers, but also carve a niche for itself in the AI world. There are many obstacles to overcome, but the rewards will be worth it.
