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As many as 8 million UK workers are at risk of losing their jobs to artificial intelligence with current government policy, the Institute for Public Policy Research warned.
AI already impacts 11 percent of tasks done by UK staff, a figure that could rise to almost 60 percent if firms integrate the technology more deeply, the think tank warned in a report published Wednesday.
Part-time, entry-level and back-office jobs such as customer service are most at risk but higher-paying jobs will increasingly be affected. The findings highlight the challenges facing the government as it increasingly bets on artificial intelligence to cure the UK’s productivity problem.
Companies across the board are using AI to drive up efficiency, while the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a £800 million (US$1 billion) investment in technology and AI to boost public-sector output.
“Already existing generative AI could lead to big labour market disruption or it could hugely boost economic growth, either way it is set to be a game changer for millions of us,” said Carsten Jung, senior economist at IPPR, which analysed 22 000 tasks in the UK across all job types. “A jobs apocalypse is not inevitable – government, employers and unions have the opportunity to make crucial design decisions now that ensure we manage this new technology well. If they don’t act soon, it may be too late.”
In its own report published in November, the government acknowledged that AI was already affecting jobs in the finance and insurance sectors. It called for schools and employers to equip workers with the skills they need to adapt. — Bloomberg
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter