AcademyAI raises £1.65M to close the workplace AI skills gap

AcademyAI has secured £1.65 million in pre-seed funding to address the skills gap between organizations adopting AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot, and employees' ability to effectively use these tools. Founded by Alex Packham, Andy Lambert, Michael Walton, and Rob Barnett, the company aims to help organizations understand the practical AI capabilities of their workforce.

The platform employs a six-axis AI capability framework, developed in collaboration with the Alan Turing Institute, to assess skills in critical thinking, judgement, prompting, evaluating AI-generated outputs, and practical AI skills.

Rather than focusing on lengthy webinars or generic training, AcademyAI offers concise, role-specific modules lasting just five minutes, tailored to an organization's specific tools, terminology, and context. The platform dynamically generates and updates training content as AI tools and practices evolve. For managers, AcademyAI provides dashboards tracking AI capability development across individual employees, teams, and departments, enabling organizations to monitor skill growth and identify areas needing further training.

AcademyAI's co-founder, Alex Packham, emphasizes the company's mission to tackle the gap between organizations providing AI tools and employees' ability to utilize them effectively. Packham notes that while every CEO surveyed has granted their teams access to AI tools, few understand if their employees can use them proficiently.

The measurement problem lies in knowing what employees can do with these tools before organizations can realize the value they bring. AcademyAI's platform is designed to bridge this gap, enabling organizations to close the divide between AI adoption and tangible AI outcomes. The funding will be directed towards further refining the platform's assessment and training capabilities, as well as expanding the company's reach as more organizations embrace AI tools.