London Mayor Sadiq Khan will deliver a stark warning to the government this evening, stating that artificial intelligence (AI) poses a 'colossal' risk to jobs in the capital and could trigger an era of mass unemployment without urgent intervention.
Mansion House Speech to Highlight 'Sharpest Edge of Change'
In his annual Mansion House speech to business leaders and bankers on Thursday evening, Khan will argue that London is uniquely vulnerable due to its high concentration of white-collar workers. The city's reliance on finance, creative industries, and professional services like law, accounting, and marketing places it at the forefront of this technological disruption.
The Mayor will present a clear choice: "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." He believes there is a moral, social, and economic duty to act to create new roles as others vanish, with entry-level positions expected to be the first affected.
New Taskforce and Training Launched Amidst Mixed Expert Views
In response to the threat, City Hall is establishing a London taskforce on AI and the future of work. This body will bring together expertise from government, business, and the AI sector to assess the technology's impact on the jobs market. A programme of free AI training for Londoners will also be offered.
The urgency is underscored by City Hall's own polling, which found that more than half of London's workers expect AI to affect their jobs within the next year. Research cited by the Mayor suggests that 70% of the skills in an average job will have changed by 2030.
However, expert analysis on the scale of job losses varies. A November report by the National Foundation for Educational Research indicated that up to 3 million low-skilled UK jobs could disappear by 2035 due to automation and AI. Conversely, a study released on Thursday by financial research firm Forrester predicted a 'more modest impact than expected' on US jobs by 2030, warning of 'AI washing' where companies announce cuts based on hype rather than mature technology.
Khan Criticises Slow Response to Tech, as Safety Concerns Addressed
In his speech, Mayor Khan will also criticise the UK's historical sluggishness in responding to technological shifts, drawing a parallel with the unregulated growth of social media and its links to youth mental health crises and misinformation.
Separately, the Mayor of the City of London, Susan Langley, used a media appearance on Thursday to counter perceptions that the Square Mile is unsafe for international finance workers. She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that such fears are 'completely wrong' and risk undermining the UK's competitive standing globally.
While acknowledging AI's potential to transform public services and boost productivity, Sadiq Khan's central message remains one of caution and proactive governance. He will urge ministers to ensure the looming technological revolution benefits all Londoners, rather than leaving a trail of unemployment in its wake.
