As the Government pushes ahead with its AI and skills agenda, new research from Howden Employee Benefits raises questions about how AI productivity gains will translate into benefits for employees, and whether workers feel they will have the time and support to develop their skills in the years ahead.

As more businesses benefit from AI, workers now want a share of the gains. A third (33%) said they would like higher pay in return if their employer saved significant time or money through AI adoption.

In addition to this “AI Dividend”, many would also expect other improvements to their job, from shorter working hours (16%) and greater job security (15%), to better workplace benefits. A further 13% said they’d want to see compensation in the form of a bonus or a share of the savings.

However, as the pace of AI adoption accelerates, workers are also concerned about what the trade-off of those efficiencies could be. Half (50%) are worried their employer will introduce AI faster than employees can understand or adapt to it, while a similar number (49%) fear that they will be expected to do more work as AI makes tasks faster to complete.

Half (50%) are also concerned that AI could soon be used by their employers to assess their performance, while 47% worry that AI or technology might change their role faster than they can adapt.

These worries sit alongside broader concerns about whether workers will have the time to to develop new skills and whether their pay will reflect the demands placed upon them.

Over two thirds (68%) of employees don’t think their pay will keep pace as their responsibilities or skills increase over the next five years.

Meanwhile, 53% are concerned about not having enough time to learn new skills alongside their current workload, as 50% say their employer doesn’t give them protected time each month specifically for learning and development.

The Government has positioned AI upskilling as a key policy initiative, including the introduction of the AI Skills Hub, which offers free AI training for UK adults. However, uptake has reportedly been low, and may need more investment if the Government is to achieve its objective of upskilling 10 million workers by 2030.

For some, uncertainty on AI adoption is extending to their job security, as 42% are now concerned about their role being replaced by AI. This varies by industry where nearly two-thirds (63%) of those working in Financial Services are concerned about their role being replaced by AI versus just 29% of those who work in Education.

Recommended reading

• Report: Top Banks Advancing AI 2.3x Faster Than the Rest
• UK Finance Embraces AI Productivity, But Cautious on Trust
• Task Maxing Or Task Masking? | The AI Productivity Paradox
• Most UK Banks Use AI, But Consumer Concerns Remain

Cheryl Brennan, Managing Director of Howden Employee Benefits & Wellbeing: “With the rapid advances in AI capability and adoption across UK businesses, the workplace has entered the biggest shake-up in the fabric of work since the introduction of the internet.

“The upside potential for UK businesses is huge in terms of productivity and competitiveness, and it’s clear why the Government is so keen to encourage upskilling in the area to support growth.

“But what we cannot forget is that those desired productivity gains from AI will mainly be realised through employees’ ability and appetite to embrace and deploy it effectively.

“With the workforce being central to the AI-productivity journey, our research show’s there’s a misalignment in expectations that must be addressed to improve the chances of success.

“On the one hand, businesses need AI to improve their competitive edge, but on the other they need to show employees that there’s the promise of value for them and not just the perceived threat to jobs.

“There is the need for dialogue and action regarding pay, progression and transparency, and without careful consideration of the human impact of AI, business will struggle to realise the promise it presents.”