We need to push past AI taking people’s jobs: Starmer
Prime Minister Keir Starmer says that the conversation around AI needs to move past how the technology could take people’s jobs.
Speaking at London Tech week on Monday 9 June, Starmer said that AI is set to see uptake at much quicker rate than expected.
“We have to recognise that for many people, they see AI and tech as transformative—something that’s going to do so much. And every time we say ‘over five years or ten years’, everybody says to me ‘it’s going to be more like five years or three years’. We’re going to bring about great change in so many aspects of our lives, he said.
Starmer added that the conversation needs to shift beyond how AI is taking jobs.
“Some people out there are sceptical. They worry about AI taking their jobs. But I know from audiences like this, this debate has been had many times,” he said.
“We need to push past it. But people worry: will it make their lives more comfortable? Even for businesses, the pace of change can feel relentless. I know you all get that. But when it comes to harnessing the power of this technology, I believe the way we work through this together is critical.”
Starmer added that his government is committed to being open for investment.
“Just look at the raw facts. This industry supports over two million jobs. That’s incredible. Or take this statistic: in 2023, our AI sector grew 30 times faster than the rest of the economy. That is incredible. So this is about what we’ve achieved. It’s about who we are as a nation.”
“What signal do we want to send to the rest of the world? The signal I want to send is this: a Britain that, after years of chaos, is a stable partner for investment. A Britain that believes the future should be shaped by our values. And that in this volatile world, is proud, unashamed, open for business.”
Starmer added that his government was committed to investing in AI going forward.
“I can also announce today that we’re committing an extra £1 billion of funding to scale up our compute power by a factor of 20. You know how important that is— a huge increase in the size of Britain’s AI engine.”
“It means we can be an AI maker, not just an AI taker. More importantly, it means we have the digital infrastructure we need to make sure AI improves our public services,” he said
