Workers in London are more concerned that AI will impact their job than any other region in the UK, according to the latest Robert Half Jobs Confidence Index (JCI), an economic confidence tracker produced in partnership with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr).

The report found that 49% of staff in the capital are concerned that AI will have a direct effect on their career in the next 12 months, the highest of all regions and higher than the national average of 31%. The East Midlands recorded the second highest level of concern at 35%.

Employees across London also expressed the greatest level of apprehension in the long term, with 61% concerned about the impact of AI on their job in the next three to five years. This is again the highest of all UK regions and above the national average of 41%.

This sentiment comes after a report from the Institute for Public Policy Research suggests that up to eight million jobs are at risk in the UK due to AI. 

Meanwhile, Robert Half’s research also found that the level of uncertainty around AI’s impact on jobs has led to workers in London planning to proactively invest in their own AI related training in the next five years (60%), surpassed only by professionals in Wales (62%).

At the same time, 56% of Londoners are expecting employers to foot the bill for their AI training over the next five years. A further 54% are planning to retrain and move into AI related jobs or fields, the second highest levels recorded after Wales (59%) and well above the national average of 40%.

Chris Lawton, Vice President permanent placements UK & Ireland at Robert Half, said, “AI is on the cusp of creating a seismic shift in the workforce, but Londoners are clearly feeling the pressure more than anyone else, likely driven by the jobs in the Capital being weighted more towards professional and financial services than elsewhere in the country.”

“With recent statistics suggesting job losses will be in the millions due to the rise of AI, it’s understandable that so many are hedging their bets and seeking to retrain and reskill,” Lawton added. “However, the emphasis shouldn’t just be on individuals supporting their own training. Businesses will ultimately be the ones to benefit from the best AI skills and potentially lose out due to a lack of the right resources.”

“Employers must act now and ‘talent map’ their human capital, identifying skills gaps and ways to fill them – be it by internal upskilling programmes, bringing in interim experts for knowledge-sharing, or working with third sector organisations to explore new routes to acquiring unique and diverse talent,” Lawton said. “And with AI having the potential to impact every aspect of an organisation, employees will need to upskill sooner rather than later to secure their future employability. The notion of life-long learning and development has never been more critical.”

“AI skills should be accessible to all, especially at a time when diversifying talent pools is fundamental,” Lawton continued. “Businesses, education institutions, industry bodies and policy makers must work together to ensure no-one is left behind due to a lack of access to training as AI’s impact on the future of jobs continues to gain momentum.”