TL;DR

On Tuesday 10 November a London Assembly committee, the one covering the economy, culture and skills, took evidence on how AI could affect jobs for young Londoners, as part of its inquiry into youth unemployment. Witnesses cited employer surveys and US research suggesting fewer starter roles. None presented measured AI-driven job losses in the capital.

What the committee heard

Lizzie Crowley of the CIPD, the HR professional body, pointed to a survey in which 40% of business decision-makers said they expect AI to mean less hiring of people at the start of their careers within three years. IFOW (Institute for the Future of Work) associate director Oliver Nash cited US research that found employment among young workers fell by 13% in jobs highly exposed to AI.

Rob Brooks, a senior workforce manager in the NHS in north-east London, warned that efficiency drives built on technology can remove junior posts without anyone setting out to do so. Witnesses also listed barriers that have nothing to do with AI, including qualifications, lack of work experience, hiring costs and the wider economy.

The Greater London Authority (GLA) has previously put 46% of the capital’s workers in jobs that automation could reach, against 38% across the country.

Reading the evidence carefully

Digital Watch, which reported the session, stresses that these figures describe employer expectations and research from abroad, not job losses already recorded in London. The hearing did not conclude that AI is the main cause of youth unemployment, and it produced no legislation. Those limits matter: the 13% figure is American, and the 40% is a forecast by employers.

Why it matters

The GLA’s estimate already marks London out as more exposed than the UK overall. In our view the most useful testimony came from the NHS, because it describes a mechanism rather than a forecast. When a large employer automates routine admin to save money, the first rung of the career ladder can vanish without a single redundancy, and that is hard to see in headline unemployment data.

Looking Forward

The inquiry is still running. Whatever it eventually recommends on training and routes into work for young people is the next thing to watch.