Around three-quarters of businesses investing in AI are not getting the return they hoped for, according to a recent IBM survey of chief executives. The reason is rarely the technology itself – it is people: the leaders and teams who do not yet have the skills, or the confidence, to put AI to work. I hear this from employers almost every day. At the same time, the apprenticeship budget is set to reach £3.3 billion in 2026-27. For all that potential investment, conversations about the levy too often feel like a chore. Spend it, transfer it, or lose it. At the same time, the government’s Employer Skills Survey showed that the percentage of employers offering training has dropped from 66 per cent in 2017 to 59 per cent in 2024. The opportunity is to reverse that decline by using the levy to build the capability businesses actually need. No organisation can hire its way to AI transformation. Success depends on building capability across the whole workforce, from the senior people who set strategy and sign off the risk, to the teams putting AI tools to use day to day. Become a member for unlimited access to FE Week subscribe Our members enjoy early access to exclusive content and in-depth articles before anyone else. Get expert journalism on FE and skills, experience fewer ads, and unlock a growing range of member benefits.