A recent study by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has unveiled the occupations most vulnerable to displacement by artificial intelligence (AI) in the upcoming year. According to the survey of over 2,000 employers, approximately 17% anticipate a reduction in their workforce due to AI, with 62% identifying clerical, junior managerial, professional, or administrative positions as the most susceptible.
The research indicates that 26% of employers in large private firms foresee a decrease in their workforce, contrasting with 17% in the private sector and 20% in the public sector. Among those expecting job cuts, 26% envision losing more than 10% of their staff. While 22% of employers plan redundancies in the final quarter of 2025, a majority (61%) have intentions to fill new roles.
James Cockett, a senior labor market economist at CIPD, emphasized the transformative impact of AI on work dynamics, underscoring the need for a national initiative to retrain and upskill individuals across various career levels. He stressed the importance of developing skills aligned with an AI-driven economy through enhanced workforce planning and skill investments by both government and employers.
The UK’s unemployment rate climbed to 5% in the three months leading up to September, marking an increase from 4.8% in the previous quarter. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported this as the highest level since August 2016, discounting anomalies during the pandemic period. For further insights, the full CIPD report can be accessed online.