The UK ranks 19th out of 98 countries, and sixth among G7 nations, in Coursera’s new AI-Human Skills Synergy Index. The ranking examines how learners develop AI capabilities alongside the human skills needed to apply them effectively.
UK AI course enrolments increased by 55% year on year, but the pace of growth was lower than in 50 other countries in the index. Germany, France and Japan took the top three places, with the US eighth and Canada 11th.
“Our findings emphasize that AI proficiency will yield organizational value only when paired with deliberate investment in human skills.”
Anthony Salcito, global head of enterprise, Coursera
The report also identified stronger growth in particular areas. UK AI security upskilling increased by 312%, above the European average of 258%. Enrolments in critical thinking grew by 111%, complex problem-solving by 120% and innovation by 78%.
Coursera said AI proficiency needs to be accompanied by deliberate investment in human capabilities. Its examples of useful combinations include generative AI with ethics and governance, machine learning foundations with stakeholder alignment, and data analysis with critical thinking.
For employers, the findings support a broader approach to workforce development: teaching staff to use AI while also helping them assess outputs, manage risks and communicate decisions.
The index combines Coursera learner behaviour, weighted at 60%, with the Oxford Insights Government AI Readiness Index 2025, weighted at 40%. It is an index of learning-led readiness rather than a direct measure of every worker’s skills. Read Coursera’s Global Skills Report 2026.
