A recent poll shows that over half of British adults are anxious about the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on their jobs. According to a survey of 2,600 respondents by the Trades Union Union (TUC), 51% fear AI will lead to job losses or worsening working conditions, with concerns reaching as high as 62% among those aged 25 to 34. This data echoes recent AI-related layoffs announced by companies like BT and Amazon, prompting unions to call for a "significant shift" in the UK's adoption of technology.
Although the UK unemployment rate has risen to 4.7%, a four-year high, economists generally believe this is not directly linked to AI investment. The TUC emphasizes that, if properly managed, AI can improve productivity and the quality of public services, and calls for the government to involve workers and unions in the promotion of new technologies and provide retraining for affected employees. In the survey, 50% of respondents supported worker and union participation in decision-making regarding AI adoption, while only 17% opposed it.
The union further advocated that the government include job protection clauses in AI research and development funding, while also requiring companies to increase employee training, improve remuneration, and give workers more decision-making power, such as board membership. The TUC warned that without these measures, AI could exacerbate social inequalities and worsen working conditions. Its assistant director-general, Kate Bell, said: “The transformative potential of AI depends on how it is developed – if it is misused, it will only benefit shareholders at the expense of workers.”
