Breaking down the barriers
The real challenge is converting everyday experimentation into a level of AI literacy that unlocks career progression and, in turn, nationwide economic growth.
So, how do we help the other 85% unlock these benefits? The barriers holding people back are surprisingly easy to overcome, with collective focus. They are, for the most part, either behavioral, cognitive or organisational:
- Behavioral – The “One-and-Done” habit: Most casual users haven’t gotten into the habit of using AI effectively. Many aren’t yet iterating prompts, matching the right tool to the task, or are unsure of how to get started with multi-modal capabilities (text, visual, and audio inputs and outputs) and agentic workflows (where AI autonomously plans and executes multi-step tasks).
- Cognitive – The traditional “Search Box” mindset: Millions of users naturally apply their familiar search habits to AI tools, instead of treating it as a creative partner. Despite AI’s highly collaborative nature, only 37% of previous users have ever asked an AI to help them write a better prompt to quickly achieve more effective results.
- Organisational – The “Permission to Prompt” gap: Many workers are waiting for explicit permission to use AI. Only one-third of AI users have clear professional guidance to help them use AI confidently, and fewer than half know who to ask about responsible use.
Building a nation of AI Trailblazers
Levelling up starts with knowing where you stand. That’s why today, Public First is launching the AI skills quiz, an interactive diagnostic tool that lets you benchmark your skills against the rest of the population, learn more about the type of AI user you are and get actionable skills to instantly elevate your AI use and help unlock career growth.
