We are living through a technological revolution. Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how we learn, work, and connect. In boardrooms and universities, the conversation is about productivity, ethics, and opportunity. But there’s a quieter, more urgent question that rarely enters those glossy reports: what happens to people who don’t even have access to a computer, let alone the skills to thrive in an AI-powered economy?
For homeless individuals, the risk is not simply being “left behind.” It is being permanently locked out of a society where even the most basic services, jobs, and survival mechanisms will require some level of digital fluency. If we are serious about building an inclusive future, then the conversation about upskilling must extend far beyond classrooms and corporate training programs. It must include those living on the margins.
This article explores why upskilling the homeless in the era of AI is vital, what happens if we fail, and how governments, NGOs, and communities might begin to create pathways that give homeless people a fighting chance at survival and dignity in a rapidly changing world.
The Harsh Digital Divide
Homelessness strips people of stability, safety, and routine. But it also strips away access to technology — the very infrastructure modern life depends on. Consider these realities:
- Lack of Devices: Most homeless individuals do not own laptops or tablets. Many have old, unreliable smartphones if any at all.
- Connectivity Issues: Even with a device, affording mobile data or accessing reliable Wi-Fi is a challenge.
- No Private Space: Learning online requires a safe, quiet environment, something most homeless individuals lack.
- Documentation Barriers: Applying for courses, training, or jobs increasingly requires digital IDs, email addresses, and CVs — all difficult to maintain without stable housing.
The result is a digital exclusion loop. Without access, people cannot learn. Without learning, they cannot compete. Without competition, they remain excluded from jobs, housing, and stability. And in an AI-powered world, that loop risks tightening further.
Why AI Upskilling Matters for the Homeless
AI is not just another technology wave. It is infiltrating every aspect of life:
- Job Applications: Automated applicant tracking systems are already filtering CVs using AI. Without digital literacy, homeless applicants may never even reach human review.
- Basic Services: From healthcare to housing, many services now require navigating online portals or interacting with AI-powered chat systems.
- Survival Tools: AI-driven platforms increasingly match casual labour, gig work, or benefits distribution. Knowing how to use these systems could mean the difference between eating and going hungry.
If homeless individuals are not upskilled, the gap becomes not just economic but existential. Survival itself — finding work, accessing medical care, applying for housing — will depend on digital and AI literacy.
The Risks of Inaction
Failing to upskill homeless populations in AI-readiness could create a two-tier society:
- The Digitally Empowered: People with the skills and access to leverage AI for work, learning, and services.
- The Permanently Excluded: People without the means to cross the digital threshold, unable to function in an AI-driven economy.
This exclusion would worsen:
- Unemployment: AI will replace low-skill, manual jobs that traditionally offered entry points for homeless people (basic warehouse work, data entry, cleaning scheduling).
- Poverty Cycles: Without digital skills, people risk becoming “unemployable” in the eyes of future employers.
- Social Isolation: As even basic human services move online, exclusion leads to invisibility.
In essence, without intervention, the homeless risk being coded out of society.
How Upskilling Could Work
Upskilling homeless individuals in AI may sound unrealistic, but it is both possible and urgent. It requires creativity, accessibility, and empathy. Here are practical steps:
1. Start with Access
- Digital Libraries and Shelters: Equip homeless shelters and libraries with accessible devices, free Wi-Fi, and safe learning spaces.
- Device Donation Programs: Refurbished laptops, tablets, and smartphones can be redistributed through NGOs.
- Mobile Tech Hubs: Vans equipped with Wi-Fi and laptops could provide pop-up training sessions in areas with high homelessness.
2. Focus on Basic Digital Literacy First
Before AI, the basics matter:
- How to use email
- How to search safely online
- How to use word processors or spreadsheets
- How to protect digital identity
This creates the foundation for AI training.
3. Introduce Practical AI Tools
Once basics are mastered, introduce AI applications that can genuinely improve chances of survival:
- Job-Seeking Tools: Teaching ChatGPT prompts for CV writing, LinkedIn profile optimisation, or interview practice.
- Health Access: Navigating AI-driven telehealth platforms for consultations or prescriptions.
- Gig Platforms: Using AI-powered gig work apps to find short-term jobs.
4. Micro-Credential Pathways
Offer short, practical certifications that can be completed in days or weeks, not years:
- Free courses on Coursera, edX, or Google Skills
- Local community college certificates in digital literacy or IT basics
- AI-focused micro-courses (e.g. “How to Use ChatGPT for Work”)
5. Mentorship and Peer Support
Homeless learners need human connection. Volunteer mentors could:
- Offer guidance on using tools
- Encourage persistence
- Connect learners with job opportunities
Industries Where Homeless Upskilling Could Lead
Not every job requires advanced degrees. With the right digital foundation, homeless individuals could access industries that value practical skills:
- Gig Economy: Delivery, repair, personal services — increasingly coordinated through AI-driven apps.
- Digital Freelance: Entry-level data tagging, transcription, or content moderation (often remote).
- Green Jobs: Urban farming, recycling initiatives, and solar installation programmes increasingly linked to digital tracking and AI management.
- Community Roles: Peer mentoring, care work, and non-profit support roles enhanced by basic tech literacy.
Real-World Models of Success
There are small but inspiring initiatives already proving this is possible:
- Code Tenderloin (San Francisco): Teaches homeless people coding and tech job readiness.
- StreetCoding (UK pilot): Brings laptops and volunteers to shelters for introductory digital literacy.
- Refugee Tech Training Programs: Models used for displaced communities could be adapted for the homeless.
The lesson: when training is accessible, local, and empathetic, people engage.
What Governments and Employers Can Do
This cannot be left to charities alone. Broader structural support is essential:
- Policy Support: Governments could fund digital literacy as part of homelessness support.
- Employer Inclusion: Companies can commit to hiring formerly homeless individuals for entry-level digital jobs.
- Universal Access: Public investment in free Wi-Fi hotspots and digital ID services.
- Incentives for Training: Vouchers, food credits, or housing points tied to digital upskilling participation.
Building a Society That Doesn’t Leave People Behind
The promise of AI is efficiency, productivity, and innovation. But unless we deliberately extend opportunities to the margins, it risks hardening inequality. Homeless individuals are already among the most vulnerable. To deny them the tools of survival in an AI-driven age is not just unjust — it is dangerous.
Upskilling homeless communities is not charity. It is survival strategy. It is about saying: you belong in this future too.
Final Thoughts
Imagine a man named Paul. He’s 47, homeless after a string of bad luck. He has no computer, only an old phone. Without intervention, Paul will find it harder to get shelter, healthcare, or work in an AI-first world. But with a refurbished laptop, basic training in email and job apps, and access to AI tools that help him write a CV, Paul has a chance — a small foothold back into society.
That’s what’s at stake.
The AI revolution must not be reserved for the privileged. If AI is truly to serve humanity, it must serve all of humanity — including those sleeping rough tonight.
