Autumn Budget 2024: The Urgent Call for AI Literacy in UK Schools

By Elena Sinel FRSA, Founder & CEO of Teens in AI

As the UK aspires to lead in digital innovation, investing in AI and tech skills from an early age is crucial. While the Autumn Budget introduces positive steps for workforce development, without dedicated funding for AI and digital literacy in schools, we risk falling behind countries where AI education is already prioritised. In California, for example, AI is now compulsory in primary and secondary education, equipping students with technical skills and an understanding of the ethical implications and responsible use of AI. Finland and Singapore have also incorporated early AI education, preparing their young people for the complexities of an AI-driven future.

To ensure the UK remains globally competitive, AI education must become an integral part of the curriculum from a young age. Teaching AI should include not only core technical skills but also ethics, responsibility, and relevance to industry needs. By aligning skills with industry demands, we can equip young people with practical and ethical knowledge to contribute meaningfully to the evolution of AI in sectors such as healthcare, finance, and environmental sustainability.

AI is inherently interdisciplinary, intersecting with fields as diverse as biology, physics, chemistry, social sciences, and the arts. We should not confine AI education solely within the ICT or computer science domains; rather, we need to integrate AI principles across subjects, encouraging students to see its applications and implications in multiple fields. This approach will foster an AI-literate generation—individuals who not only understand how AI functions but also appreciate its broader societal impact and potential in areas like environmental science, urban planning, and creative industries.

An AI-literate generation is one that can confidently navigate and innovate within an AI-powered world, bringing diverse perspectives and ethical considerations to the forefront of AI’s applications. By embedding AI into multiple disciplines, we prepare young people to be proactive, informed participants in an evolving job market, equipped to drive meaningful advancements across industries and to shape a future where AI serves society responsibly.

While Skills England is a promising initiative for broad workforce skills, achieving true AI leadership demands focused investment in AI literacy and ethical education. Teens in AI is ready to partner with the government to ensure that young people in the UK are empowered with industry-relevant, responsible AI skills, enabling the nation to compete with others who are making AI literacy a priority and preparing youth for the jobs of tomorrow.

To this end, Teens in AI has launched several programmes designed to cultivate AI literacy, creativity, and ethical awareness in young people. Through initiatives such as hackathons, AI Adventures, self-paced online courses, and our flagship AI4Good programmes, we offer students hands-on experience with AI tools, challenging them to solve real-world problems and understand AI’s potential and limitations. Our approach prioritises responsible AI practices, emphasising ethics, inclusivity, and alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

With the invaluable support of our partners—Sage, Capgemini, Beiersdorf, and many others—we have been able to make meaningful strides in delivering AI education to young people across the UK and beyond, close to 70 countries around the world. Their contributions have been pivotal in empowering the next generation of AI innovators and helping to close the skills gap.

As the war on talent intensifies among UK tech firms, it’s essential to strengthen efforts that attract top talent into the sectors shaping our future. By equipping students with AI and digital skills early on, we can cultivate a generation ready to drive innovation and maintain the UK’s leadership in the global digital economy.

For more on how Teens in AI is transforming AI education globally, please visit www.teensinai.com.