One in three university students in the United Kingdom believes artificial intelligence-driven job losses could lead to social unrest, according to a new study highlighting growing anxiety among young people about the economic impact of emerging technologies.
The research, conducted by the King’s College London Policy Institute and the King’s Institute for Artificial Intelligence, found that 34% of students fear that rapid job displacement caused by AI could spark civil disorder. The figure compares with 22% among the wider British public.
The study surveyed 2,000 members of the public, 1,000 university students, 1,000 young people aged 16 to 29, and 500 employers across Britain. Researchers said the findings reflected increasing unease over how quickly AI technologies are reshaping the labour market.
Professor Bobby Duffy, director of the KCL Policy Institute, said concern about AI’s effect on employment was widespread.
“The public, workers, young people and university students are watching the rapid development of AI with more fear than excitement,” Duffy said.
According to the report, nearly seven in 10 workers expressed concern about the economic consequences of AI-related job losses, while more than half of respondents said they believed AI would destroy more jobs than it creates.
The findings come amid the rapid adoption of generative AI tools in workplaces and universities, with businesses increasingly using automation to handle administrative and analytical tasks traditionally performed by junior staff.
The study found that 77% of university students use AI tools several times a month or more, compared with 46% of workers. More than one-quarter of students reported using AI daily or almost daily.
Concerns over entry-level employment featured prominently in the report. A majority of respondents agreed with predictions made by AI industry leaders that up to half of entry-level white-collar jobs could disappear within five years due to automation.
Recent labour market data has added to those fears, with British business groups reporting a decline in graduate recruitment and increased reliance on AI systems by employers. The British Chambers of Commerce said more than half of UK firms are already using AI technologies in some form.
The survey also pointed to concerns about whether universities are adequately preparing students for an AI-driven economy. While 60% of students said universities are capable of equipping graduates for future workplaces, only 36% believed they were personally receiving sufficient preparation.
Read:
- 10 Common Nigerians’ Worries About AI Explained
- Kenya Pushes for AI-Powered Growth Amid Political Unrest
Despite the concerns, most students still supported higher education, with 78% saying they would still choose to attend university in the age of AI. However, nearly one-third said they would select a different field of study if making the decision today.
Researchers said the results showed a public increasingly divided between optimism about AI’s potential benefits and concern over its social and economic consequences.
Dr Bouke Klein Teeselink said there remained “a clear path forward to a more hopeful future” if governments, universities and employers introduced stronger support systems and workforce training.
Senior Reporter/Editor
Bio: Ugochukwu is a freelance journalist and Editor at AIbase.ng, with a strong professional focus on investigative reporting. He holds a degree in Mass Communication and brings extensive experience in news gathering, reporting, and editorial writing. With over a decade of active engagement across diverse news outlets, he contributes in-depth analytical, practical, and expository articles exploring artificial intelligence and its real-world impact. His seasoned newsroom experience and well-established information networks provide AIbase.ng with credible, timely, and high-quality coverage of emerging AI developments.