AI skills gap putting public sector projects in jeopardy
Summary
In total, just 30% said they’re experts in implementing AI within their organisation, holding back frontline citizen services across the public sector. “Training and skills development are critical first steps for the public sector to leverage the benefits of AI,” said Casey Coleman, SVP of Global Government Solutions for Salesforce. Sheila Flavell CBE, Chief Operating Officer for FDM Group, said: “In the face of a growing skills gap hindering AI adoption in the public sector, organisations must take control and prioritise skills training for staff so they can understand and implement AI safely and effectively. The public sector should implement training schemes to upskill and reskill staff, equipping them with the necessary specialist skills to lead innovations in AI and ultimately deliver the best results for frontline public sector projects.” Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of Digital Poverty Alliance, commented: “There is no doubt that AI is transforming the way organisations, including public sector departments, are operating and helping to drive efficiencies, but we must also remind ourselves that AI is at risk of worsening the digital divide. The situation calls for immediate action, and digital skills training should be at the centre of the manifesto for the incoming government."