UK workers still doubt AI will steal all their jobs

New research has revealed that only one fifth of UK employees fear that artificial intelligence (AI) will put them out of work in the next 15 years despite the fact that 1 in 10 employers (12%) have replaced a job role with technology during the last 12 months.

The Pod Group's CEO and author Charles Towers-Clark commissioned a survey of 2,000 UK workers to learn more about about the effect of AI on the future of work.

Of those surveyed, 12 per cent said their employer had replaced a job role within their workplace with technology or software during the last year which means that the affected employees did lose their jobs as a result of new technologies.

The situation is worse in Wales where 14 per cent of organisations are replacing employees with tech while Northern Ireland appears to be the safest place in the UK for job security with only seven per cent of companies replacing roles.

Jobs replaced by AI

Pod Group's findings are in contrast with a parallel survey assessing the fears of employees that AI will replace their jobs in the next 15 years which revealed that one fifth of UK employees believe technology will put them out of a job.

Across the UK, the Welsh were the least worried with only 16 per cent of employees fearing for their roles followed by 18 per cent of employees in England with Scottish and the Northern Irish the most fearful of technology's future impact at 20 per cent.

Charles Towers-Clark offered further insight on the results of the two surveys, saying:

“The future job market will be dominated by AI, so now is the time for both employers and employees to prepare for such a future. Of course, we should not fear AI to the point we stifle its development, but a little fear would be healthy as it would drive us to develop skills in areas where AI struggles, creating opportunities for AI and humans to work together in harmony. Yet, despite seeing people replaced with software in front of their own eyes, we are sticking our heads in the sand. Meanwhile, AI advances in leaps and bounds.”