Agenda item 5: proposals for next steps on AI

Decision required: 

Social Partnership Council (SPC) members are asked to: 

• note the discussions at the workshop
• agree that the SPC’s work in this area should focus on workforce skills
• also agree that a Delivery Group is established to progress this work

1. For the SPC to:

• receive an update on discussions from the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Workshop held on the 7 July
• agree that AI and workforce skills will be the focus of future activity
• to agree a Delivery Group is established to identify a specific area within workforce skills for the SPC to focus on

2. The subject of AI has been discussed several times at the SPC including a paper specifically recommending a focus on skills at the 12 March meeting. That paper outlined the broader challenges of creating an AI literate workforce, the need to identify a specific area from the skills landscape and the importance of avoiding duplication with existing forums. Though the paper generated discussion on skills and AI, a specific focus was not identified. 
    
3. In response, an AI Workshop was arranged with social partners on the 7 July drawing on their expertise to identify potential areas of focus for the SPC. The Workshop acknowledged the value in considering workforce skills and the importance of avoiding duplication with existing forums such as the newly created AI Strategic Advisory Group and building on the work already completed by the Workforce Partnership Council (WPC). 
    
4. The Workshop discussed the mixed AI skills levels across both public and private sectors and the need to develop an approach where the benefits of AI were equitably distributed across the workforce. It was stressed that understanding and testing what an ethical approach looked like would need to consider existing inequalities in the use and awareness of AI by metrics such as geographical region, age, language barriers and neuro-divergency. 
    
5. The Workshop also discussed the pace of AI, the importance of promoting its advantages to both employers and workers as well as the benefits of utilising the full range of free learning/training available. It was felt the SPC was ideally placed to develop an approach given its private and public sector representation as well as the types of sector expertise it could draw on to reflect employer and workforce views. 
    
6. The Workshop discussed co-designing advice on developing AI skills in the workplace that would allow the SPC to develop a distinct approach. Potential areas to consider in the advice included:

• defining AI literacy at different workforce levels, the term "AI literacy" could be differentiated across frontline workers (basic understanding, tool use, confidence), managers (adoption, risk, ethics), HR/strategists (reskilling, equity, change management)
• developing a better understanding of equity and inclusion in AI upskilling, recognising that inequalities in AI access are real and widening particularly by geographical location (rural, coastal Wales), by language (limited Welsh-medium content) and for specific groups (the neurodivergent, older workers and low-income SMEs)
• developing a general understanding of AI for the whole workforce e.g. producing a “What is AI” explainer toolkit for SPC partners, similar documents exist so potentially a short animation or video along with a toolkit drawn from good practice elsewhere

6. It was felt the annual meeting schedule of the SPC would not allow this work to be developed at the pace required given the speed with which AI was developing. It was proposed that the best approach would be to recommend the SPC set up a Delivery Group that could meet between meetings to  develop options and consider the viability of the identified areas above in more detail. 
    
7. If agreed, it is proposed the Delivery Group be jointly chaired by a trade union and employer member of the SPC. Subject to agreement, nominations for the joint chairs will be sought at this meeting. Representation on the Group itself could be drawn from members’ broader networks. The Workshop stressed the benefits of being flexible with membership, given the range of people that might have an interest or expertise in the topic. It was also emphasised that members of a Delivery Group should be able to draw on expertise on AI workforce skills and upon the experience gained by the WPC in considering similar issues. Subject to agreement, the Secretariat would write out to members seeking nominations to the Delivery Group. 

9. The SPC is asked to consider and agree that a Delivery Group is established to co-design advice on developing AI skills in the workplace. The paper recommends potential areas for the Delivery Group to consider, that would allow the SPC to develop a distinct approach.

There is potential for differential impacts across different groups of people, depending on how jobs are impacted by AI technologies. This paper recommends that the Delivery Group should include a focus on developing a better understanding of equity and inclusion in AI upskilling, recognising that inequalities in AI access are real and widening.