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Debenhams Group has launched an AI skills academy, a new programme aiming to provide its employees with practical AI skills.
The academy is being rolled out in partnership with workforce development platform Multiverse.
It will be fully funded through the group’s £1.35m apprenticeship levy, and provide employees with “structured, on-the-job learning that will deliver tangible value to the Debenhams Group business”.
Staff will be taught the technical skills and behaviours required to use AI in their day-to-day work.
This includes using AI tools to “boost productivity and free up time for higher-value, strategic work”, and applying AI solutions to streamline operations and reduce manual tasks
It will also teach employees to build systems in-house to “accelerate digital transformation and reduce reliance on external providers”.
Debenhams said that by investing in AI education at scale, it is “accelerating the responsible use of artificial intelligence across its portfolio while ensuring its teams are empowered with the skills needed to lead in a fast-moving retail landscape”.
Dan Finley, CEO of Debenhams Group, said: “Adopting AI is not just about investing in our systems – it’s about investing in our people. With the launch of the AI skills academy, we’re giving our teams the tools to think differently, work smarter and build for the future. This is about unlocking the potential of every colleague to drive real innovation across the group.”
