US tech giant Salesforce has announced it is offering free artificial intelligence (AI) tools to six million UK students. The scheme, unveiled on Thursday, will provide universities and colleges with access to its workplace platform Slack and AI features.
The initiative aims to equip graduates with AI skills, responding to a growing demand from employers. This comes as UK graduate vacancies have reached their lowest level since 2020.
Zahra Bahrololoumi, Salesforce UK chief executive, stated that AI is reshaping recruitment, with businesses increasingly seeking candidates who can work effectively with the technology. She highlighted emerging roles such as AI ethicists, designers, and testers.
Initially, five higher and further education institutions, including the University of York and Coventry University, will participate. Salesforce plans to work with these institutions to evaluate the scheme's impact on graduate employment outcomes.
The move is part of Salesforce's $6bn (£4.53bn) UK investment commitment through 2030, which also includes an expanded London AI campus.