This briefing has been prepared to help FutureDotNow partner organisations bring the essential digital skill narrative into their London Tech Week activity.
It sets out why essential digital skills are critical to AI adoption, the scale of the current skills gap, evidence of what works, and practical actions for government and industry leaders. It can be used to inform:
- Panel contributions and speeches
- Media and stakeholder conversations
- Partner announcements and blogs
- Policy and industry engagement
The key essential digital skills message for London Tech Week
The UK’s AI ambitions will not succeed at scale unless everyone has strong digital foundations.
Currently, less than half of working age adults can do the essential digital tasks that modern work already requires. This is not a niche inclusion issue. It impacts productivity, resilience and workforce participation and cuts across every sector, region and demographic. Evidence shows the situation is getting worse, not better.
