AI could replace 3m low-skilled jobs in the UK by 2035, research finds

"Up to 3m low-skilled jobs could disappear in the UK by 2035 because of automation and AI, according to a report by a leading educational research charity. The jobs most at risk are those in occupations such as trades, machine operations and administrative roles, the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) said. Highly skilled professionals, on the other hand, were forecast to be more in demand as AI and technological advances increase workloads at least in the short to medium term."

"Overall, the report expects the UK economy to add 2.3m jobs by 2035, but unevenly distributed. The findings stand in contrast to other recent research suggesting AI will affect highly skilled, technical occupations such as software engineering and management consultancy more than trades and manual work. Research from King's College published in October estimated that higher-paying firms suffered job losses of roughly 9.4% between 2021 and 2025, with much of this period falling after the release of ChatGPT in late 2022."

"The UK government lists management consultants, psychologists and legal professionals among the occupations most exposed to AI, whereas sports players, roofers and bricklayers are less likely to be replaced. Last week, the law firm Clifford Chance revealed it was laying off 10% of business services staff at its London base about 50 roles attributing the change partly to AI. The head of PwC also publicly walked back plans to hire 100,000 people between 2021 and 2026,"

Automation and AI could eliminate up to 3 million low-skilled UK jobs by 2035, with trades, machine operations and administrative roles most at risk. Highly skilled professionals are projected to see increased demand as AI and technology raise short- to medium-term workloads. The economy is expected to add about 2.3 million jobs by 2035, but gains will be uneven across sectors. Contrasting evidence indicates AI may affect higher-skilled technical occupations more, and data from 2021–25 show higher-paying firms losing jobs after ChatGPT's release. Some firms have cut roles or revised hiring plans, and economic and policy factors complicate the causes of layoffs.

Read at www.theguardian.com