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Are there free AI courses in the UK?
Short answer
Yes. Every adult in the UK can take free online AI courses through the government's AI Skills Boost programme on the AI Skills Hub. Some take under 20 minutes and cover drafting, content and admin. Completing selected courses earns a government-backed virtual AI foundations badge. Some specialist courses on the hub are paid, so check first.
What AI Skills Boost is
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and Skills England expanded the programme in January 2026, with the aim of upskilling 10 million workers by 2030. Courses come from industry partners including Google, Microsoft, Amazon, IBM, Sage and Salesforce, and selected ones are checked against Skills England's AI foundation skills for work benchmark. The Federation of Small Businesses and British Chambers of Commerce are among the partners.
How to start
- Go to the AI Skills Hub (aiskillshub.org.uk) and create a free learning profile.
- Pick a foundations course marked as benchmarked if you want the badge.
- Do it with a real task in mind: a quote, a customer email or a social post.
Free alternatives that fit small businesses
- Our beginner's guide: first three tasks, which takes about half an hour
- The prompt library and free prompt pack
- Trade-specific prompt sets, such as ChatGPT prompts for tradespeople
Do you need a course at all?
Not necessarily. Most people learn fastest by using a free AI tool on one real job each day for a week. A short course helps if you want structure, or want staff to have a recognised badge.
Related questions
Is the AI foundations badge a qualification?
It's a government-backed virtual badge for completing selected benchmarked courses, not a formal qualification.
Are there AI grants for small businesses?
We haven't found a national grant on GOV.UK that pays small businesses to adopt AI tools. Check your local growth hub or combined authority, which sometimes run local digital adoption schemes.
Sources
Checked 17 October 2026. Rules and prices change, so check the source before you rely on it. This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.
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- Will Copilot work on Windows 10?
- How do AI chatbots and AI tools work?
- How do you use AI agents in a small business?
- How do you use AI on your phone?
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