Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said workers are more likely to lose their jobs to colleagues using AI than to the technology itself.
This perspective shifts the focus of the artificial intelligence debate from total automation to the competitive advantage of AI literacy. As the technology integrates into the professional world, the gap between those who can leverage these tools and those who cannot may create a new class of unemployment.
Speaking from the BBC Newsnight studio in London, Sunak said the rapid growth of artificial intelligence and its specific impact on the UK labour market [1]. He said that while the technology is transformative, the immediate threat is human competition enhanced by software.
"You’re more likely to lose your job to someone who is using AI, than to AI itself," Sunak said [1].
To address these shifts, Sunak called for significant policy changes to protect young people from unemployment. He suggested rethinking fiscal measures to mitigate the impact of job losses, including the possibility of scrapping National Insurance, or altering how jobs are taxed [2].
Sunak said that the current economic structure may not be equipped for the speed of AI adoption. He said that the government must intervene to ensure that the transition does not leave a generation of workers behind.
"There are reasons to be worried and think about the future – but we are able to do something about this," Sunak said [2].
His proposals focus on creating a more flexible tax environment that encourages employment and adaptation in a volatile market. By reducing the tax burden on workers, he suggested the UK could better support those transitioning into new roles created by the AI revolution.
“"You’re more likely to lose your job to someone who is using AI, than to AI itself."”
Sunak's comments highlight a transition from 'technological unemployment'—where machines replace humans—to 'skill-based displacement.' By suggesting the removal of National Insurance or other tax reforms, he is arguing that the state must lower the cost of labor to incentivize companies to keep human workers who are learning to use AI, rather than replacing them entirely with automated systems.
