London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has issued a stark warning that artificial intelligence (AI) risks becoming a 'weapon of mass destruction of jobs' if urgent action is not taken. In a major speech, he cautioned that the capital must prepare for a potential 'new era of mass unemployment' driven by rapid technological change.
An Impending Colossal Impact on London's Workforce
Sir Sadiq emphasised that the effect of AI on London's labour market would be 'nothing short of colossal'. He cited alarming data, revealing that more than half of London's workers expect AI to impact their roles within the next year. The Mayor argued that without proper management, this technological shift could dramatically accelerate economic inequality.
"We need to wake up and make a choice," Sir Sadiq is expected to say in his speech on Thursday evening. "Seize the potential of AI and use it as a superpower for positive transformation and creation, or surrender to it and sit back and watch as it becomes a weapon of mass destruction of jobs."
Learning from Past Mistakes with New Technology
The Mayor drew direct parallels with the rise of social media, highlighting the dangers of a slow regulatory response. He pointed to the youth mental health crisis, online abuse, and the surge in misinformation as consequences of insufficient guardrails.
"In recent years, we’ve seen what happens when we’re too slow to respond to new technology," he will state. Referencing recent reports, Sir Sadiq also condemned the abuse of AI tools, such as X's Grok, to create sexualised images, including of children. "As leaders, I think we have a responsibility to protect people against the dangers of new technology. This time, we need to move faster and not make the same mistakes again."
A New Taskforce and the Race to Reskill
In response to the looming challenge, the Mayor announced he will establish a new London Taskforce to conduct a rapid review of AI's potential impact. Its mission will be to draft recommendations on how the capital can prepare and ensure its workforce possesses the necessary future skills.
The urgency is underscored by a LinkedIn report from this month, which found that 70% of the skills required for an average job will have changed by 2030. "That’s four years away," Sir Sadiq will say. "So if we want to future-proof our economy, and our workforce, we don’t have a second to lose. A well-managed transition is going to require all of us to step up. We have a moral, social and economic duty to act."
