Government launches cross-department AI and Future of Work Unit
The government has created a cross-department unit to track AI's economic and labour market effects and advise on timely policy responses. The AI and Future of Work Unit will sit in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and coordinate action across departments.
An expert advisory panel spanning industry, academia, civil society, and trade unions will support the unit. Prospect general secretary Mike Clancy has been appointed to the panel.
DSIT and Skills England said the unit will help ensure the AI transition "boosts economic growth, supports workers to adapt, protects communities from the mistakes of past industrial change, and delivers a fair, dignified future of work for everyone, where people are supported into better jobs in a more productive economy".
Ministers confirmed the unit will bring together work across DSIT, the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Education, the business department, and the Treasury. Its brief includes analysis of impacts in the UK and internationally, plus practical support for departments to act.
What the unit will do
The unit will lead the cross-government AI and the Future of Work Programme, preparing the UK for AI-driven labour market change. It will monitor sector trends, assess risks and opportunities for jobs and productivity, and advise on when and how policy should adjust.
Government will also fund AI training for every adult in the UK. DWP and DfE have joined the organisations developing the learning offer, which is accessible through the government's AI Skills Hub.
For background on DSIT's role, see the department overview on GOV.UK.
Why this matters for public sector leaders
AI is already changing task design, service delivery, and skills demand. The new unit provides a single locus in government to track impacts, coordinate workforce planning, and avoid repeating mistakes from past industrial change.
Expect sharper guidance on reskilling pathways, procurement standards, data governance, and productivity use cases. Departments should prepare for more structured engagement on evidence, pilots, and policy timing.
What departments should do now
- Nominate a lead to engage with the AI and Future of Work Unit and align on evidence needs.
- Map roles and tasks by AI exposure (augment, automate, remain) to inform workforce plans.
- Run scenario planning for short-term job changes and medium-term skills demand.
- Set up training pathways using the AI Skills Hub and internal L&D, with clear progression routes.
- Engage staff forums and unions early; build feedback loops on safety, quality, and job design.
- Review procurement and assurance so pilots meet security, privacy, and equality standards.
- Baseline productivity and service quality now to measure effects of AI adoption.
Expert panel: workforce voice and practical safeguards
Mike Clancy welcomed the move and stressed the need for preparation and voice at work. He noted that AI and other technologies are changing the content, nature, and pace of work across the economy, and said workers benefit when people and organisations get support to adapt.
Clancy called for a coordinated plan so any short-term job losses, especially in lower-level or graduate roles, do not create higher-level skills gaps later. He said Prospect represents many of the UK's most skilled workers, including in tech and sectors central to future growth, and that the panel will work to ensure working people share in the benefits of AI.
Where to build skills
Alongside the government's AI Skills Hub, teams looking to assemble role-specific learning paths can explore curated options by job family. A practical starting point is this role-based catalogue: Courses by job.
For a quick scan of new and updated courses relevant to policy, operations, data, and service delivery, see: Latest AI courses.
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