The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has called on the UK Government to put workers and unions at the heart of AI transformation, as new research reveals that more than half of the UK public are growing concerned about the impact AI will have on their jobs.  

Launching its proposed ‘worker first’ AI plan, the TUC’s latest study, Building a Pro-Worker AI Innovation Strategy, cautions against the short-termism that currently drives AI investments, arguing that focusing on the tech’s impact on the bottom line is more likely to displace and deskill workers.

After polling more than 2,600 UK adults, the TUC found that over half (51%) are already concerned about the impact of AI on their jobs, with younger workers (62%) in the early years of their careers most worried that more AI could mean fewer opportunities.      

To ensure that’s not the case, the union body said there must be a step change in the Government’s approach to AI, and called for an ‘urgent and active’ policy response that can protect workers and harness the power of the technology for public services.

Setting out its plan, the TUC says workers need to have a strong voice in the decisions that will inevitably shape their lives, including everything from the design of AI regulation and public funding for its development, through to how it is used day-to-day in workplaces.

The TUC’s poll found strong support for this ideal among the public, with half (50%) agreeing that workers and unions should have an equal say with business on shaping the future of AI, and just 17% opposing. 

According to the TUC, the building blocks for this pro-worker AI strategy should include guardrails around the use of the tens of billions in public funds that are being used to power the Government’s AI agenda.

That includes ‘good work’ strings attached to taxpayers’ money spent on private sector tech, a requirement for companies working with the public sector to invest in workforce skills and training, and allowing workers to shape firms’ decision making, for instance, by appointing employees to boards.

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“AI could have transformative potential – and if developed properly, workers can benefit from the productivity gains this technology may bring. But for this to happen, workers must be placed at the heart of AI innovation,” said Kate Bell, TUC Assistant General Secretary.

“That means ensuring public money comes with strings attached, and isn’t siphoned away into the pockets of billionaire tech bosses. It means ensuring workers get a share in any productivity gains from new technologies.  

“The alternative is bleak. Left unmanaged and in the wrong hands, the AI revolution could entrench rampant inequality as jobs are degraded or displaced, and shareholders get richer.”