Cognizant has long supported organisations across the UK in navigating technological change, business disruption and large-scale transformation. In every engagement, we see a truth that feels increasingly urgent: technology continues to accelerate, but confidence does not always keep pace. The organisations that thrive in the years ahead will be those whose people feel equipped — and empowered — to use AI safely, responsibly and effectively. That belief underpins our support for the UK Government's ambition to provide 10 million workers with key AI skills by 2030, and it is central to why Cognizant is proud to join AI Skills Boost.
According to Cognizant’s New Work, New World 2026 research, 93% of jobs could be affected by AI today, far earlier and more extensively than anticipated even a few years ago. This acceleration makes it clear that the workforce does not simply need access to new tools — it needs structured support from both industry and government to build the foundational skills required to thrive. When almost every job is touched by AI in some form, confidence and capability become essential for everyone, not just technical teams.
The AI Skills Boost initiative addresses precisely this need. Created by the UK Government and delivered through the AI Skills Hub, it provides free, practical, non-technical training designed to help people and businesses understand and use AI in everyday work. More than one million AI training courses have already been completed by learners since the initiative’s launch in June 2025. This momentum underscores an important insight — that when people are given simple, trusted entry points into AI, adoption grows quickly.
Cognizant’s involvement in this initiative builds on commitments we have already made globally. Through Synapse, our enterprise and community upskilling programme, we are working to provide AI and digital skills training to two million people worldwide by 2030. This is complemented by a $1 billion investment in AI innovation, focused on responsible adoption, advanced engineering, and applied AI solutions that help organisations modernise safely and with impact.
Our approach is rooted in our Tech for Good philosophy and reflected in our Cognizant Values, grounded in our commitment to applying technology in ways that expand opportunity and strengthen trust. AI Skills Boost echoes these same principles by reducing barriers to learning, supporting digital inclusion, and ensuring that workers across regions, sectors and backgrounds can participate in the country’s AI-enabled future.
As businesses redesign roles, workflows and organisational structures to incorporate AI, foundational understanding becomes critical. AI is no longer confined to specialist functions; it is shaping customer interaction, financial operations, supply chains, analytics, compliance and everyday productivity. Our research highlights the scale of this shift and the economic implications, including up to $4.5 trillion in labour value exposure in the US alone, driven by tasks that AI could assist or automate today — forces that are similarly reshaping UK industries.
Government analysis further highlights the economic opportunity ahead. National modelling published via the UK Government suggests that effective AI adoption could contribute up to £140 billion to annual UK economic output by 2030, signalling the potential gains for productivity and competitiveness if foundational skills are embedded at scale. But this upside will only be realised if workers feel confident using AI safely and responsibly — and if employers have the capacity to integrate AI into their operations without widening skills inequalities.
That is why AI Skills Boost is such an important national effort. It provides a consistent, trusted pathway into AI capability, especially for SMEs and organisations that may not have formal training in place. It supports individuals who want to build skills but don’t know where to begin. And it offers a model that brings government and industry together to create a shared baseline for the UK workforce.
For Cognizant, participating in this initiative is a continuation of what we do every day: helping organisations respond to change, build resilience and unlock opportunity. But it is also something more. It is a commitment to ensuring that the UK’s workforce is not left behind as AI accelerates. It is an investment in people — in their confidence, capability and future employability. And it is a statement of partnership, reflecting our belief that industry has a role to play in shaping a responsible, inclusive and competitive digital economy.
As AI continues to influence how work gets done, the organisations that succeed will be those whose people embrace new ways of working with confidence, curiosity and capability. AI Skills Boost is a meaningful step toward building that future, and Cognizant is proud to play a part in elevating the country’s AI readiness.
We look forward to updating on our progress and contributing further to the UK’s wider AI skills ambition, as part of our ongoing involvement in this important national effort.
