AI for all? Google ups the ante with free UK training courses for firms

US tech giant starts charm offensive on artificial intelligence with basic courses to help firms understand and exploit emerging phenomenon

A larger-than-life Michelle Donelan beams on to a screen in Google's London headquarters. The UK science and innovation secretary is appearing via video to praise the US tech behemoth for its plans to equip workers and bosses with basic skills in artificial intelligence (AI).

The recent explosion in the use of AI tools like ChatGPT and Google's Bard show that we are on the cusp of a new and exciting era in artificial intelligence, and it is one that will dramatically improve people's lives," says Donelan. Google's ambitious" training programme is so important" and exceptional in its breadth", she gushes in a five-minute video, filmed in her ministerial office.