Google has reported that Britain could unlock £400 billion ($533 billion) in economic growth if more workers are trained to use AI tools, particularly for administrative tasks.
In a new report based on its UK pilot programme, Google said that simple interventions — such as providing permission and a few hours of training — helped significantly boost AI adoption in the workplace.
The tech giant’s AI Works pilot schemes, conducted in collaboration with consultancy Public First, were rolled out across educational trusts, a trade union, and a small business network. On average, workers saved 122 hours per year by using AI tools, according to the findings.
The report highlighted a significant gap in AI use among older women from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Before the pilot, only 17% of women over 55 used AI weekly, and just 9% daily. Three months after training, those numbers jumped to 56% and 29% respectively.
A major barrier to adoption, Google found, was the uncertainty among workers over whether using AI in their jobs was allowed. Addressing this hesitation — what some described as needing “permission to prompt” — proved key to boosting confidence and long-term engagement with AI tools.
The study suggests that targeted training and organisational support could help bridge the UK’s AI adoption gap, driving significant productivity gains across sectors.
