'My job is going': Britain faces growing AI fears as workers report fewer opportunities

Artificial intelligence is beginning to affect jobs across the UK, especially in sectors linked to writing, translation, data analysis and creative work. Companies are increasingly using AI tools to reduce costs, slow hiring and replace some entry-level tasks.

A 2024 estimate by the International Monetary Fund said more than two-thirds of British workers perform tasks that AI could potentially handle, making the UK one of the countries most exposed to workplace changes driven by the technology.

According to multiple people interviewed by AFP, workers in creative and language-based professions are already seeing fewer opportunities and lower pay because of the growing use of AI tools.

Translator Jessica Spengler said she first realised how serious the shift had become when a client asked her to help prepare material for training an AI system. "That was the day I really thought... my job is going," she said.

The 52-year-old, who translates content into English for German educational and historical organisations, said the experience made her worry about the future of her profession.

Requests for translating press releases and user manuals have fallen sharply in recent years. Instead, more clients now ask translators to check and edit machine-generated work, with publishers are offering rates lower than what translators were paid a decade ago.

The impact of AI is also being seen in Britain’s film industry. A report by Morgan Stanley said companies in the UK that adopted AI reduced their workforce by eight per cent in the year to October 2025.

Laura, a cinematographer based in London, said opportunities in film work have reduced significantly because of AI and the wider slowdown in the industry. She is now retraining as an outdoor instructor in Dorset while earning minimum wage.

Bouke Klein Teeselink from King’s College London said the AI transition could be difficult because new types of jobs may take time to emerge. He warned that the shift could lead to a rise in unemployment during the adjustment period.

According to one of his studies, professions most exposed to AI, including software development and data analysis, saw a drop in vacancies after the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, especially in entry-level roles.

The growth of AI is happening at a time when youth unemployment in Britain is already high. Official data shows one in six people aged between 16 and 24 is currently out of work, the highest level since 2014.

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