More than half of firms now report they are now actively using AI, as adoption grows steadily year on year. But far from posing any sort of threat to jobs, nine in ten report it has had no impact on the size of their workforce.
In fact, most SMEs go as far as to say AI is currently being used to support their employees rather than replace them – although that may change in time.
The findings came out of a survey conducted by the British Chambers of Commerce Companies which indicated an accelerated approach, particularly among larger SMEs and B2B professional services.
One challenging aspect arose from a comparison of generic and bespoke users. While only one in ten are adopting deeper bespoke AI they are more likely to expect job cuts than generic users. Likewise, 14 per cent investing in AI training anticipate reductions over the next 12 months, suggesting that advanced AI adoption may drive broader ‘restructuring’.
All of this follows the recent formation of a cross-government Future of Work Unit to closely monitor the jobs impact and, in the words of AI Minister Kanishka Narayan, help “10 million people build practical AI skills – so businesses can work smarter, stay competitive and make sure the benefits are felt right across the economy”.
The BCC report has recommendations of its own, similarly linked to responsible and effective use. Among them is a call for an AI Labour Market Observatory to monitor the ongoing impact, a network of AI champions to help SMEs adopt and a Growth and Skills Levy to subsidise literacy training.
Patrick Milnes, Head of Policy: People and Work at the British Chambers of Commerce said the findings show how the technology has rapidly moved from the margins of business to the mainstream.
Businesses, he says, are reaping the productivity benefits. helping them “work smarter, improve decision making and freeing up staff to focus on high value tasks”, adding: “To future proof both firms and their workforces, government must work closely with business to get AI policy right.”
