Half of UK adults fear the impact of artificial intelligence on their jobs, according to a poll, as unions call for a “step change” in the approach to AI.
Job losses or changes to terms and conditions were the biggest concerns for 51% of 2,600 British adults surveyed by the Trade Union Congress.
Young workers, aged between 25 and 34, were particularly worried, with 62% of those surveyed citing concerns about the impact of AI on their jobs.
The TUC poll has been released as a large string of employers, including BT, Amazon and Microsoft, have said in recent months that advances in AI could lead them to cut jobs.
It comes as the UK job market is slowing down, with the unemployment rate hitting a four-year high of 4.7% in the three months to June 2025, while job vacancies have declined to their lowest level since April 2021.
This cooling trend is particularly evident in the hospitality and retail sectors and is partly attributed to the introduction of higher National Insurance contributions for employers in April 2025.
While AI poses a threat to jobs, the union body believes AI technologies can be harnessed to the benefit of all workers and help improve public services.
The TUC is now calling for an urgent and active UK government policy response, with workers front and centre, like that developed in Wales.
TUC Assistant General Secretary Kate Bell said: “AI could have transformative potential – and if developed properly, workers can benefit from the productivity gains this technology may bring. But for this to happen workers must be placed at the heart of AI innovation.
“That means ensuring public money comes with strings attached, and isn’t siphoned away into the pockets of billionaire tech bosses.
“It means ensuring workers get a share in any productivity gains from new technologies. And it means dedicated training and skills programmes to protect workers in industries that may be disrupted by AI.”
The union body warns that without a “worker-first plan”, AI could lead to “rampant inequality”, degraded working lives and the discontent that the far right thrives on.
“The alternative is bleak. Left unmanaged and in the wrong hands, the AI revolution could entrench rampant inequality as jobs are degraded or displaced, and shareholders get richer”, Ms Bell added.
“We cannot let that happen. Unmanaged disruption is not inevitable or acceptable. It’s time for an urgent and active policy response that makes sure workers are not left behind. AI technologies can help build a better future – we're setting out a plan that shows how it can be done.”
