As many as 8 million U.K. workers are at risk of losing their jobs to artificial intelligence (AI) with current government policy, the Institute for Public Policy Research warned.
AI already impacts 11% of tasks done by U.K. staff, a figure that could rise to almost 60% 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 U.K.’s productivity problem. Companies across the board are using AI to drive up efficiency, while the U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a £800-million ($1 billion) investment in technology and AI to boost public-sector output.