London mayor Sadiq Khan will warn that artificial intelligence could “usher in a new era of mass unemployment” in the capital unless ministers intervene to manage its impact on jobs.
Speaking at his annual Mansion House address, Khan will say London is “at the sharpest edge of change” due to its reliance on white-collar roles in finance, professional services and the creative industries.
Without action, he will argue that “old roles will disappear faster than new ones are created”, with entry-level jobs most at risk.
City Hall is launching a task force on AI and the future of work, alongside free AI training for Londoners.
According to the Financial Times, Khan will acknowledge AI’s benefits, saying it could “transform our public services, turbocharge productivity and tackle some of our most complex challenges”, but warn its labour market impact will be “nothing short of colossal”.
He will tell ministers they must either “seize the potential of AI and use it as a superpower for positive transformation and creation, or surrender to it and sit back and watch as it becomes a weapon of mass destruction of jobs”.