Expert Comment: UK Jobs Are At Risk Due To AI, How Can People Protect Themselves?

Recent news revealed a startling statistic: up to 8 million jobs in the UK may be in jeopardy thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), with a particular concern for the vulnerability of low-skilled workers. The mounting apprehension surrounding AI and its capacity to replace jobs has been escalating over recent years, and this latest report is likely to intensify these AI fears even further.

It’s crucial to note that the report outlined this eight million job loss situation with no GDP benefits as the worst-case scenario. Alternatively, an intermediate scenario projected 4.4 million job losses accompanied by a 6.3% increase in GDP. These figures prompt us to ponder: Can there really be an equilibrium between technological growth and job market stability?

To gain insights into this matter, we turned to the experts to understand how AI might genuinely impact the UK job market and explore potential strategies for mitigating its implications.

Our Experts:

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Antonina Burlachenko, Head of Quality and Regulatory Consulting at Star Global

”It’s hard for governments to regulate for the protection of jobs in private businesses, but one way in which they can do so is to pass legislation mandating businesses to have human oversight over all critical uses of AI. This also ensures businesses have checks and balances in place should an AI not act as anticipated.

“We should be focusing on upskilling people in human-centric skills which AI cannot be capable of. Skills such as making sound and rational judgements, communication skills, empathy, intuition and morality should be invested in. Our education system may need to move towards focusing more on subjects such as philosophy, critical thinking and decision-making.

“AI is going to be able to provide strong predictions and data analysis for business decisions but we’re going to need stronger judgements than ever to comprehend all the data we’ll be surrounded by.

“There’s also a responsibility on government and enterprise to manage fear and demystify AI technology among the public. People need to be educated about how scared to be or not to be, and to get them thinking of what the future landscape will look like so they can make rational decisions about their careers.”

Angela Brown, Founder and CEO of FinFlare

In the dynamic world of finance, AI often takes the spotlight for its potential to transform operations. Yet, amidst the excitement, one truth remains the irreplaceable essence of the human touch:

“Beyond AI’s efficiency lies the art of storytelling, human connection, and empathetic guidance crucial for navigating business complexities,

“In our industry, the CFO’s duty extends beyond crunching numbers; they craft the company’s narrative, aligning figures with vision. In times of triumph or challenge, it’s the CFO’s human presence that offers solace and insight, qualities AI lacks.

“Moreover, CFO’s serve as a strategic advisor, not just a data analyst. Their empathy and intuition shape effective leadership, traits beyond AI’s reach.

“While technology advances, human connection remains paramount. The enduring value of human judgement amid automation’s rise will forever be both preferred and necessary.”

Leon Gordon, CEO of Onyx Data

“This era will prove pivotal for humanity as we begin to leverage AI to supplement tasks and roles within day-to-day lives. This will mean job displacement and the formation of new job roles that did not exist before. The main areas that individuals can focus on to protect themselves from this next wave of generative AI releases are soft skills, networking and understanding and adopting GenAI tools to differentiate themselves by leveraging and understanding the tools.

“The bright side of this evolution is the fact that it presents an unprecedented opportunity for entrepreneur-minded individuals or groups. Previously their ideas required funding to create teams of people to build their ideas, the rise of AI has removed some of these barriers to entry within the market. Exploring ideas and opportunities is now easier than ever before and creating a business might be a viable opportunity for some.

“Ultimately, this will favour those that see this as an opportunity to upskill, learn more and build on AI for their own business. Outside of this, I would also recommend identifying areas within your role in our industry that require specialised skills or knowledge.”

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Amy Lester, Typing and Tasks Limited

“For administrative-based roles and whether there is a threat of jobs being cut due to AI I still feel like we are a long way off a time where that is a reality. What is a pressing danger, is those administrative professionals (such as Virtual Assistants, and Executive Assistants) who adopt AI and integrate it into their working patterns. Those who are ahead of the curve with AI are the ones who will be taking the jobs away from those who are late adopters.

“In my opinion, Administration, particularly Executive Support, will always require human input. In addition to this, there are still a lot of ethical and security-based concerns to consider as well as questions about confidentiality. My advice to those administrative professionals that I mentor is to treat AI platforms like a brand-new junior employee – you wouldn’t tell them everything about the Executive team and reveal all of the highly-sensitive company information to them; you should act the same way with AI. The best way to protect yourself in an administrative role right now is to learn how to use AI to position yourself strategically within your organisation or with the people you support.

Lawrence Harmer, Founder & Director at Solve

“I have a digital agency called Solve.co.uk, we help other leading digital agencies and independent business owners with SEO and optimised web design. We do use AI daily and it’s incredibly powerful, however, we need a flexible approach with our work to keep ahead of the curve. AI doesn’t have an emotional connection, people connect with people, so we often find that human output is ultimately better than AI’s. Yes, it can speed things up, but it doesn’t meet the high standards of a human. So, we’re employing more people than ever before and actually in pitches we advertise that our stuff is built by humans which we feel gives an edge.

“So, here are some tips that work for us: Keeping up to date with AI – it’s an ever-evolving new thing that has lots of opportunities and so you can embrace that. Keep up to date, do lots of learning. Be flexible with new trends as, again, it brings opportunity and you can jump on that if you have insight into what AI can do for you. Also, there are lots of new businesses that will be started, or are being started, because of AI – there is a lot of opportunity. I think the ultimate is just being a human, being unique, being high-quality, and creating connections. Have empathy, be a human.”

Vee Khuu, AI Consultant & Trainer

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