Future of Work

Today’s newsletter features guest contributor Roger Spitz — bestselling author, futurist, and founder of the Disruptive Futures Institute — as he shares 5 ways to activate your agency and thrive in an AI future.

This week, a report warns that AI could eliminate up to 8 million jobs in the UK, primarily affecting women, and workers in routine/ entry-level roles. The only way to avert this scenario? Through government action and proper training.

As AI continues to embed itself into our workplace, it begs the question on everyone’s minds: Can it make your CEO more relatable? Short answer, probably not… Whilst it can improve their speech writing and delivery, its inability to replicate the nuanced emotion makes it a pretty poor replacement. 

Is AI quietly eroding our well-being? Today's newsletter dives into a groundbreaking Future of Work study that seems to suggest just that. The research, surveying over 6,000 individuals, found that exposure to AI-based software, wearable trackers, and robotics had detrimental effects on employees' quality of life and health.

This week, a new survey conducted by online marketplace Fiverr reveals a striking shift in the work preferences of Gen Z. Polling over 10,000 individuals aged 16-26 across the UK, US, France, and Germany, the study found that over two-thirds (70%) of respondents are turning away from traditional jobs in favour of freelancing and side hustles.

In the AI-driven job market, soft skills — like communication and empathy — are becoming increasingly vital. A recent study identified over 500 roles at risk due to AI, including jobs in software development and finance. However, roles rooted in social and emotional skills were less likely to be automated. Will the rise of AI spark a soft skills surge in the workplace?

Ever since the rapid ascent of ChatGPT, concerns about AI displacing jobs have grown. Now, evidence indicates that a quiet wave of automation-driven layoffs is already underway — and they may be more widespread than companies previously cared to admit.

Germany is about to launch a groundbreaking 4-day workweek pilot. Starting this month, 45 diverse companies will offer hundreds of employees an extra day off each week, while maintaining full pay.

Everyone seems to agree that AI will transform the world but this transformation is happening much, much faster than anyone anticipated, especially in the world of work. But just how fast will AI be taking over jobs?

We know that AI is set to revolutionise the workplace, but how profoundly will it alter our work dynamics? Emerging research reveals AI to be a controversial performance "equaliser" - turbocharging workers who struggle in their roles, while doing little to aid those who are already productive. Whilst narrowing productivity gaps could be positive, experts warn it may inadvertently suppress salaries for top earners.

This week, the jury is still out on whether AI will make or break the workplace. Artisan’s launch of its AI worker range marks the arrival of digital colleagues. However, a recent survey revealed the majority of tech workers think AI is overhyped. Will the rise of AI colleagues revolutionise the workplace, or is it just a fleeting tech fad?

In a darkly dystopian turn, companies are turning to emotion recognition technology, to monitor and analyse employees. By dissecting facial tics, vocal tones and heart rates, "emotion AI" aims to boost productivity and engagement in the workplace. But is the science solid enough?

Once upon a time, parents advised their kids to pursue medicine, law, or banking if they wanted a shortcut to financial success. Now, the younger generation is all about the AI gold rush, where $800k+ salaries are the norm. But are these salaries sustainable for companies?

At the AI Safety Summit last week, billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk surprised audiences with a controversial prediction: AI will eventually create a future where ‘no job is needed’.

Ever since the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, there's been a slow tug-of-war between UK workers and employers over return-to-work mandates. But as the job market cools, the push for office work may be gaining the upper hand, with in-office employees now outnumbering hybrid workers for the first time since the pandemic. Are we witnessing the beginning of the end for hybrid working?

In a significant workplace shift, London's financial firms are scaling back hybrid work, causing women to leave high-calibre roles that they could maintain through flexible work. Meanwhile, GenAI is set to impact jobs worldwide — but replacing human jobs on a wider scale remains highly unlikely.

AI's rapid advancement could profoundly change the way we work — but it doesn’t mean humans will be replaced any time soon. Thriving in an AI-driven workplace, experts say, is about being creative, innovative, and an effective leader.

While AI threatens to replace many jobs, it seemed to be a fair assumption that CEOs were safe from the rise of automation. However, new research reveals an interesting twist: CEOs are considering replacing their own roles with AI. Is the modern CEO role coming to an end?

In a new experiment run by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), hundreds of consultants were tasked with using AI tools. BCG found that workers who used AI to complete relevant tasks worked more quickly and produced a higher-quality product.