AI Could Eliminate 3M Low‑Skilled UK Jobs by 2035, New Report Warns

AI Could Eliminate 3M Low‑Skilled UK Jobs by 2035, New Report Warns
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A newly released report by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) warns that up to 3 million low‑skilled jobs in the United Kingdom could be lost by 2035 as a result of accelerating automation and advances in artificial intelligence (AI), The Guardian reported.

According to the report, occupations most at risk include trades, machine‑operation roles, and administrative or secretarial jobs — sectors characterized by routine tasks that are more easily automated.

Meanwhile, demand is expected to grow for more highly skilled professionals, as employers increasingly rely on technological advances to augment work and increase productivity.

Despite the potential job losses, the study forecasts that the UK economy overall may still gain roughly 2.3 million new jobs by 2035. However, the benefits are likely to be unevenly distributed, with most growth concentrated in professional and managerial roles.

The authors caution that workers displaced from low‑skill jobs may face significant obstacles in retraining and re‑entering the labour market, potentially exacerbating inequality and social dislocation.

The NFER report recommends a comprehensive overhaul of education and skills‑training systems to prepare the workforce for a labour market dramatically reshaped by AI — emphasising the need for lifelong learning and adaptability to remain employable in a rapidly transforming economy.

As AI’s impact deepens across industries, the report serves as a stark reminder of the challenge ahead: managing the transition so that technological progress does not leave large segments of the workforce behind.