September 16, 2024

Accenture to Help Tackle the Digital Inclusion Gap in Disadvantaged Areas Across the UK

New initiative to enable over a million people to get access to devices, data and AI literacy courses

LONDON, UK; Sept. 16, 2024 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has committed to help tackle the UK’s digital inclusion gap with a new initiative – Regenerative AI – that will empower over a million people in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities across the country to build their AI skills .

Currently, 8.5 million adults in the UK still lack basic digital skills^[1], putting them at risk of missing out on the educational, social and economic opportunities offered by AI. Over the next three years, Regenerative AI will bring community partners and organisations together with volunteers from Accenture to help over a million people build their AI skills, through a series of programmes that will enable them to access devices, data and AI literacy courses.

According to Accenture’s recent analysis, the UK could stand to gain an additional £736bn above baseline from generative AI by 2038. However, this is dependent on organisations taking a people-centric approach that prioritises supporting current and future workers with the correct skills – particularly those with lower levels of digital skills and less formal education who could be more negatively impacted.

Shaheen Sayed, Head of Accenture in the UK, Ireland & Africa, said “In just a short period of time, Generative AI has already shown that it has the potential to bring enormous economic gains for the UK. The true accelerator for AI will be people and equipping the UK’s current and future workforce as well as the wider community with the skills to use it. With millions of people in the UK still lacking basic digital skills, the need for action to bridge this gap has never been more important. Working hand in hand with our partners, we are not just aiming to close the digital divide but fostering a more inclusive and thriving economy.”

Minister Sir Chris Bryant said "AI is poised to be a transformative force and ensuring people have the digital skills to match these opportunities is key to unlocking its potential and creating a workforce fit for the future. That’s why it is so important that these opportunities are available to everyone. The statistics are disturbing. Women make up less than 30% of the tech workforce whilst those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds account for less than 10%. This government is committed to closing the digital skills gap and breaking down barriers to careers in tech and I welcome Accenture's 'Regenerative AI' initiative which recognises the importance of this goal. I encourage other businesses to follow suit and help us ensure the benefits of technology are geared not just towards a growing economy but an inclusive economy too."

Accenture’s Regenerative AI initiative will deliver education and mentorship for individuals of all ages, free of charge, across the UK, focusing on:

Young people in education: Accenture volunteers will support the delivery of Generative AI lessons, in collaboration with the early tech careers inspiration charity Tech She Can, to hundreds of schools in social mobility cold spots as role models inspiring the next generation to embrace careers in technology. The collaboration has already helped to reach over 50,000 children in schools across England.
Job seekers: Accenture has partnered with Stay Nimble, a UK based social enterprise, and the Open University to build a course - Thrive AI - to equip thousands of job seekers with the practical skills using Generative AI in their job search. Under the mentorship of a dedicated career coach, it will give job seekers a deeper understanding of how to use GenAI tools effectively whilst retaining a sense of their authentic self and helping them stand out.
Workers: Accenture has built a series of online courses in partnership with FutureLearn to demystify the world of AI. The latest ‘Digital Skills AI’ course, featuring online mentor support, introduces learners to the concepts of Generative AI, how it impacts the world and workplace, as well as helping them to identify gaps in their current skillset they can develop to help further their career.
Our wider community: Accenture is partnering with Good Things Foundation, the UK’s leading digital inclusion charity, to improve digital skills and basic AI literacy for disadvantaged adults. As strategic AI partner, Accenture will co-develop AI learning content available both online and at over 5,000 community hubs in the National Digital Inclusion Network. Accenture will also train over 1,000 community leaders and volunteers to deliver the course. Accenture’s partnership with Good Things Foundation will additionally support participants with access to mobile connectivity data and devices.

Helen Milner OBE, Chief Executive, Good Things Foundation, said “Accenture’s expertise in Generative AI and skills development makes them a great ally in helping us to overcome new barriers, supporting our mission to eradicate digital exclusion. Our partnership will lead the way in the UK, demonstrating how industry can work together with charities to address ever-evolving challenges faced by disadvantaged people. Our programme will support thousands of people to understand how they are currently using AI, and how it can support them. Working with our community partners in the National Digital Inclusion Network, we will help to get AI on the nation’s curriculum, ensuring that people can access the support they vitally need.”

As part of its commitment to helping people succeed in the era of AI, Accenture has already trained more than 600,000 of its employees in the fundamentals of AI. Accenture also recently launched LearnVantage, a comprehensive AI-native technology learning and training service.

About Accenture

Accenture is a leading global professional services company that helps the world’s leading businesses, governments and other organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth and enhance citizen services – creating tangible value at speed and scale. We are a talent and innovation-led company with 750,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Technology is at the core of change today, and we are one of the world’s leaders in helping drive that change, with strong ecosystem relationships. We combine our strength in technology with unmatched industry experience, functional expertise and global delivery capability. We are uniquely able to deliver tangible outcomes because of our broad range of services, solutions and assets across Strategy & Consulting, Technology, Operations, Industry X and Accenture Song. These capabilities, together with our culture of shared success and commitment to creating 360° value, enable us to help our clients succeed and build trusted, lasting relationshkips. We measure our success by the 360° value we create for our clients, each other, our shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

[1] Data from Lloyds Banking Group ‘Essential Digital Skills’ survey: https://www.lloydsbank.com/banking-with-us/whats-happening/consumer-digital-index/essential-digital-skills.html

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Contacts:

Alexandra Dempsey

Accenture

+44 7462 897 158

alexandra.dempsey@accenture.com