A recent study conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has identified the occupations most vulnerable to being replaced by artificial intelligence (AI) in the upcoming year. According to the research, 17% of employers anticipate a reduction in their workforce due to AI, with the majority (62%) believing that clerical, junior managerial, professional, and administrative roles are at the highest risk of being impacted.
In the private sector, 26% of large firms expect a decrease in their workforce, compared to 17% in the private sector and 20% in the public sector. Among those anticipating job cuts, 26% predict a loss of more than 10% of their workforce. While 22% of employers plan to make redundancies in the last quarter of 2025, 61% intend to hire for new positions.
James Cockett, a senior labor market economist at CIPD, emphasized the transformative potential of AI in enhancing productivity and performance. However, he also highlighted the importance of national efforts to retrain and upskill individuals across all career stages to adapt to the changing job landscape driven by AI.
As unemployment rates in the UK reached 5% in the September quarter, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported the highest level since August 2016, excluding the pandemic-related fluctuations. Cockett also mentioned the impact of recent employment cost increases on hiring trends and potential challenges for employers in recruiting less experienced individuals.
For further details, the full CIPD report is available for reference.