AI threatens one million London jobs as City Hall report reveals women face highest risk

AI puts one fifth of London jobs at risk - City Hall report

At least a million jobs done by Londoners are either "highly or significantly exposed" to the impact of artificial intelligence (AI), a report published by City Hall says. More than 300,000 roles in administrative roles face the highest levels of exposure and risk of automation "as their clerical tasks align most closely with GenAI capabilities", the 71-page Greater London Authority report states. It said a further 748,000 roles in areas such as IT, data analysis and secretarial work are at risk but it "varies across tasks". In a speech in Madrid on Tuesday, the mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan will say "if we take a hands-off approach, AI could cause significant harm to London's labour market". Women, who are overrepresented in administrative and clerical roles, young people and those with higher educational levels are among the most exposed, the report states. Brokers, web designers, telephone salespersons and journalists are also vulnerable. Jobs least at risk from AI include architects, barbers, chefs, chief executives, driving instructors, florists and undertakers. The report, authored by economist Jeff Dwan-O'Reilly, said that at least 46% of London's workers - 2.4 million - "are in roles where GenAI could automate a share of their tasks". It states: "While 54% of workers are in roles assessed as having limited exposure - where their core tasks do not typically overlap strongly with GenAI's current capabilities - this does not imply no impact." The UK average for roles at risk of automation is 38%. Last week, former prime minister Rishi Sunak, now an adviser to AI firm Anthropic and Microsoft, said AI is flattening the jobs market for young people, especially in service sectors such as law, accountancy and the creative industries. Sir Sadiq will tell the Bloomberg CityLab Summit of mayors and policymakers: "I want to be clear that a high degree of exposure to AI does not necessarily mean job losses. "Our research indicates there's every chance that AI will augment and assist the Londoners working in these roles, rather than eliminating their jobs completely. "But given the numbers of Londoners that are exposed - and the finding that 7% of large UK businesses have already used AI to cut staff - we cannot afford to be complacent." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]

Nearly half of London jobs at risk of AI disruption, report

According to a new report by the Mayor of London's office, nearly half of the UK capital's workers could see their jobs transformed by generative AI. Nearly half of London's workforce is in roles where generative artificial intelligence could transform some of their tasks - and the capital and especially women are more exposed than any other region in the United Kingdom, according to a new report from the Mayor of London's office. Around 2.4 million people in London work in occupations classified by the report as "GenAI-exposed occupations", representing 46% of the city's workforce - compared to a national average of 38%. "In many cases, AI is more likely to transform roles than replace them outright, shifting the mix of tasks, skills and judgement required at work," London mayor Sadiq Khan said. "In other cases, where AI poses a genuine threat to jobs, we need to be alert and ready to respond quickly to any adverse impacts on London's labour market," he added. Unequal risks across the workforce But the impact of AI on jobs is not evenly spread across the workforce. The report identifies several groups facing disproportionate exposure. Women make up nearly 60% of workers in the highest-exposure roles, driven by their overrepresentation in administrative and customer service occupations where AI capabilities are most advanced. Around 8% of women working in London are in the most exposed category, compared to 4% of men. Younger workers are also more exposed. Around 52% of 16-29-year-olds are in highly AI-exposed jobs, compared with 39% of those aged 50 and over. The report highlights concern about entry-level jobs, which act as "stepping stones" into professional careers. "If opportunities in these entry roles decline as a result of AI automation, progression pathways could weaken and, over time, reduce the supply of workers into less exposed mid- and senior-level professional roles," the report states. Exposure also varies by ethnicity. Workers of Asian ethnicity tend to have higher exposure than any other ethnic group, while Black workers have the lowest exposure at around 34%. Which jobs are most likely to be affected by AI? The report groups jobs into four different levels of exposure, depending on how much of their work can already be done by AI tools. At the highest level of risks are around 313,000 workers - around 6%of London's total workforce - whose roles are almost entirely made up of tasks that AI could do for them today. These include administrative and clerical jobs, such as bookkeepers, payroll managers, data entry clerks and receptionists. According to the report, 61% of all workers in administrative and secretarial occupations fall into this highest-risk category. A further 748,000 workers - 14% of London's workforce - are in roles with significant but more uneven exposure, including software developers, accountants and financial analysts. London's lowest-exposure workers tend to be in care roles, construction trades, and jobs requiring physical presence. How businesses are using AI The report also finds that business adoption of AI has risen sharply. The share of UK firms reporting AI use climbed from around 7-9% in late 2023 to between 26-35% by March 2026. So far, AI's biggest impact has been changing tasks within jobs rather than replacing workers. In March 2026, UK firms reported that administrative, creative, data and IT roles had been most affected. Around 28% of businesses using AI say they are focusing on retraining staff rather than cutting jobs. But warning signs of an uncertain future are emerging. Around 5% of UK businesses using AI say they have already reduced overall headcount as a direct result, rising to 7% among larger firms. And looking ahead, 11% of AI-using businesses say replacing roles is part of their strategy, and 17% expect AI to reduce their workforce during 2026. In response to growing concerns around AI in the workforce, Sadiq Khan launched the 'London AI and Jobs Taskforce' earlier this year - a group bringing together workers, employers, researchers and civic leaders, to examine how AI is already reshaping employment across the capital and identify what support workers may need to adapt.