Without a people-first approach, the UK will fail to see the better jobs and productivity gains promised by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s AI Action Plan, experts warned today at the opening of National Productivity Week.
The conference, held at WBS London at The Shard, coincides with the release of the final report from the three-year Pissarides Review into the Future of Work and Wellbeing. The report, led by Nobel laureate Professor Sir Christopher Pissarides, highlights the crucial role of firm-level policies in determining whether AI enhances jobs or fuels workplace anxiety.
A new survey from the Institute for the Future of Work (IFOW) found widespread unease among UK employees about AI’s impact, describing a “pervasive sense of anxiety, fear, and uncertainty.” However, findings from 1,000 UK firms suggest that businesses prioritizing employee participation in AI adoption see more positive results, including better job quality.
“Companies that develop and value employees’ skills tend to use technology to support workers rather than simply drive efficiency through automation,” said Professor James Hayton of Warwick Business School, one of the report’s authors.
The Pissarides Review, backed by a £1.8 million grant from the Nuffield Foundation, uncovered significant regional disparities in AI adoption, raising concerns about deepening inequalities. It also found that workplace technology is having a cumulative impact on worker health and wellbeing, with firm policies playing a decisive role in whether AI fosters “good work” or exacerbates stress.
The conference features key speakers including Lord Patrick Vallance, Minister of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, alongside AI and labor market experts such as Bomi Okuyiga of the AI Safety Institute and Dr. Magdalena Soffia of the IFOW.
Warwick Business School will host a second event during National Productivity Week at its Warwick campus, focusing on regional growth and productivity challenges, particularly in the Midlands.
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