A recent study by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has identified the job roles most vulnerable to being replaced by artificial intelligence (AI) within the next year. Based on a survey of over 2,000 employers regarding their hiring, redundancy, and pay strategies for the upcoming year, the findings indicate that about 17% of employers anticipate a reduction in their workforce due to AI, with a majority (62%) highlighting clerical, junior managerial, professional, or administrative positions as the most likely to be impacted.
In particular, 26% of employers in large private sector companies foresee a decrease in their workforce, compared to 17% in the private sector and 20% in the public sector. Among those expecting job cuts, 26% anticipate losing more than 10% of their workforce. Additionally, 22% of employers are planning to make redundancies in the last quarter of 2025, while 61% have intentions to hire for new roles.
James Cockett, a senior labor market economist at CIPD, emphasized the transformative impact of AI on work processes, noting the potential for enhanced productivity and performance. However, he also highlighted the importance of a national initiative to retrain and upskill individuals across various age groups and career stages to adapt to the evolving landscape. Cockett stressed the necessity for swift progress in developing the Growth and Skills Levy, informed by extensive consultations with employers, to ensure that workers are equipped with the requisite skills for an AI-driven economy.
Amid these developments, the UK’s unemployment rate rose to 5% in the three months leading up to September, up from 4.8% in the previous quarter, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This increase marks the highest level since August 2016, excluding the distorted figures during the peak of the pandemic.
For more detailed insights, the complete CIPD report can be accessed through the provided link.