Microsoft and Pearson announce AI partnership to advance careers and adoption

A multi-year partnership has been unveiled between Microsoft and Pearson, the lifelong learning company, to improve workers artificial intelligence skills. The companies will share their technology and educational expertise to jointly develop new AI certificates, learning pathways and AI-powered tools to help identify individuals’ skills gaps and enhance their AI proficiency, unlocking efficiencies for firms and career progression.

Pearson will deepen its usage of Microsoft’s Azure Cloud Computing services and its AI and Copilot infrastructure as part of the wide-ranging deal. These will be deployed to power Pearson’s pre-existing content, assessment, upskilling and certification courses surrounding Microsoft’s Cloud and Office credentials, via its VUE offshoot until 2029, while also aiding the development of new specifically AI delineated credentials and services. The nascent AI training products will be jointly designed to meet the evolving needs of workers in the coming AI-dominated decade. 

Co-innovation and future go-to-market activities are a crucial part of the agreement. The aim is to deliver online personalized learning at-scale, and new up-to-date AI relevant services to millions of global learners at different stages of adoption, while simultaneously continuing to support on-going adoption of Microsoft’s entire suite of services.

Pearson itself will immediately rollout Microsoft’s 365 Copilot AI tool to all its remaining global employees that presently don’t have access to it, with the aim of ensuring they are advanced enough to program and teach others how best to use workplace AI tools effectively. Pearson employees can then efficiently aid other enterprise learners in their own search for better AI-powered productivity, creativity and operational performance. This is crucial in the increasingly technology-driven 21st century marketplace. 

As part of the multi-year and multi-faceted agreement, the partners will ensure accessibility for everyone around the globe, taking advantage of the democratic easy accessibility of the internet and the new generation of generative AI tools heralded by ChatGPT and its ilk.

Employers and staff can all benefit from the combination of Pearson’s expertise in learning and assessment techniques combined with Microsoft’s cloud and AI technologies. It is crucial that organizations and individuals fully realize the value of AI through effective reskilling, as recent surveys indicate.

Surveys show need for better AI training

A recent global IDC InfoBrief Survey, sponsored by Microsoft and unveiled in November 2024 that was entitled the ‘Business Opportunity of AI’ (IDC# US52699124) found that a lack of skilled workers is the biggest challenge for enterprises implementing AI technology within their organizations. Key findings included:  

• 30% of the global corporate respondents indicated a lack of specialized AI skills in-house

• & 26% said they lack employees with the skills necessary to adopt AI. 

A separate 2024 Work trend Index Annual Report, from Microsoft and LinkedIn, also found that 66% of leaders stated that they “wouldn’t hire someone that lacked AI skills” in future.  

Pearson’s own recent report in this area, entitled Skills Outlook: Reclaim the Clock shows generative AI can help US workers save 78 million hours a week on the routine and repetitive tasks that often fill their day. This could prevent burnout and inefficiencies.

All the research points towards an AI skills gap that needs to be addressed. This was the key driving force behind the Microsoft and Pearson partnership unveiled this week.

Executive support

Commenting on the deal, Pearson’s CEO, Omar Abbosh, said: “AI is driving a true revolution in education and work. We must reinvent the way people learn to meet this crucial moment. By blending Microsoft’s AI leadership and Pearson’s trusted enterprise skilling and learning services, we can bring enterprise learners precisely what they need to forge ahead in their careers and help them to realize the life they imagine.”

According to Judson Althoff, executive VP and chief commercial officer at Microsoft: “The speed and scale of today’s AI innovation present an opportunity for organizations across industries to accelerate AI Transformation. As investments increase, the demand for training and support to enable effective and responsible use of AI has never been greater. We are thrilled to partner with Pearson to help global enterprises develop learning experiences that empower employees with the AI skills needed to help advance their careers and achieve more.”