UK SMEs given free tools to help close AI skills gap

Last week, Skills England launched a set of free tools to help businesses adopt AI. It’s part of a broader effort to close a growing skills gap with the technology, and reportedly has the potential to unlock up to £400bn in growth over the next five years.

Sole traders are particularly well placed to benefit. These tools could help them work more efficiently and productively without the need to hire additional staff.

Our own research suggests many small businesses are feeling pressure to adopt AI tools. With concerns growing around the negative impact of too-hasty adoption, it’s hoped the Skills England guidance will help SMEs to take full advantage of the technology.

What support is available for small businesses?

Skills England has introduced three new resources for small businesses: the AI Skills Framework, the AI Adoption Pathway, and an employer checklist. Together, they offer SMEs access to AI training programmes, guidance, case studies, and funding options.

The tools were developed by Dr Nisreen Ameen at Royal Holloway, University of London, in partnership with Skills England, which is run by the Department for Education.

Looking at the government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, the resources are closely aligned to help small businesses navigate AI safely while developing skills which may be lacking. The same plan estimates that AI could boost the UK economy by up to £400bn by 2030.

The resources can be particularly helpful for sole traders and micro-businesses. The report highlights that many freelancers and small employers are already using AI, but without proper training, which can lead to issues with quality control and originality. These new tools are designed to fill that gap and provide clear, practical guidance.

How should you use the free tools?

The government’s AI resources are designed intentionally for non-specialists, so you don’t need a whole data science team to make them useful. There are multiple use cases.

For example, a small café struggling with rota scheduling might benefit from using AI tools to plan shifts more efficiently. Or a sole trader, who’s both running an online boutique and trying to keep on top of marketing, might use AI to view analytics data from social media.

For service-based freelancers, the tools can also help with communication challenges. A coach or consultant, for example, might build an AI chatbot to answer customer FAQs. Or, if they are looking to expand, to write job descriptions for candidates.

There is a caveat to these applications, though. Leaders must ensure their enthusiasm for AI does not cause ‘enshittification’. The process refers to when a tech platform attempts to optimise for efficiency, resulting in a poorer experience for the user. It has since broadened to include any product or service that is worsened in an attempt to maximise profit.

Research indicates many SMEs feel they have no choice but to adopt AI. At the same time, it’s important to go at your own pace, something the tools can help companies with.

What steps should businesses take next?

Entrepreneurs can visit the official Skills England site to bookmark the free resources.

The goal isn’t to adopt AI everywhere all at once. Remember to start small, pick one process to experiment with, such as automating marketing emails, generating invoices, or improving scheduling, to get used to the process of automation. Otherwise, the technical learning curve might make things more complicated instead of easing the load.

These tools are a great opportunity for businesses to develop the confidence to work smarter, not harder, and to stay competitive in a climate where tech adoption can increasingly feel like a non-negotiable.