According to a new poll by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), half of UK adults are worried about how artificial intelligence (AI) could affect their jobs.
Of the 2,600 adults surveyed, 51% said they were concerned that AI might lead to job losses or changes to their working conditions. Among 25- to 34-year-olds, that figure rose to 62%, highlighting younger workers’ particular anxiety about the technology.
The survey comes as the UK labour market slows, with unemployment rising to a four-year high of 4.7%. While most economists do not directly link this increase to AI, union leaders argue that the rapid rollout of new technologies risks further insecurity for workers without stronger safeguards.
Half of respondents (50%) said they wanted a say in how AI is introduced in workplaces and the broader economy, while only 17% opposed such involvement. The TUC urged the Government to attach conditions to the billions of public money invested in AI research and development.
The union wants guarantees that workers will share AI’s benefits through higher pay, better conditions, and more investment in skills and training. It also calls for greater worker influence in company decision-making, including board-level representation.
The TUC warns that AI could drive greater inequality, worsen working conditions, and fuel social unrest without these measures.
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