UK Survey Finds Public More Fearful Than Excited About AI Job Effects

A survey by researchers at King's College London found that most people in the United Kingdom expect artificial intelligence to reduce employment overall. Seven in 10 respondents said they worry about economic effects from AI-driven job losses. More than half believe AI will cause widespread unemployment, and one in five think this could lead to civil unrest.

Four in ten respondents said AI has more disadvantages than advantages. Almost half said they would rather avoid AI-based technologies. Employers were more optimistic. Nearly 70 percent of employers said they were excited about new opportunities AI could create, and almost half believed the technology would generate as many jobs as it removes.

Twenty-two percent of employers said they had already reduced hiring or made positions redundant because of AI adoption. The figure rose to 29 percent among large organizations.

Nearly six in 10 respondents agreed with a 2025 prediction that AI could eliminate half of all entry-level white-collar jobs within five years. Fifty percent of parents said AI could hurt their children's career prospects. Sixty-eight percent of university students expressed concern about AI-related job losses.

Three in 10 students said they would now choose a different degree subject because of AI's rapid rise. The survey also found that 66 percent of respondents want tighter government regulation on AI firms, 53 percent support retraining programs, and 53 percent favor a tax on companies that replace workers with AI.