More than a quarter of workers are worried that artificial intelligence (AI) will lead to job losses, according to an Acas study.

The report by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, conducted by YouGov, asked UK employees what their biggest concerns about the use of AI were.

It found that a sixth (17%) were worried about AI making errors, while 15% were concerned about a lack of regulation. A higher proportion, 26%, believed AI would threaten their jobs.

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There were also doubts over data protection (11%) and the impact on the environment and power usage (5%).

The publication of the findings comes in the wake of a Google report highlighting the slow take-up of the new technology in the UK, which found older people and those in less well-paid jobs were more reluctant to use AI.

Acas interim Chief Executive, Dan Ellis, said the fears over the technology had some substance, linking the adoption of AI to companies seeking to make “efficiencies”.

He said: “Some employers may be looking to embrace new technologies as a way to cut costs, increase productivity or make workers’ jobs easier.

“There can be concerns from staff when new technologies are introduced at work, and it’s clear from our study that their biggest worry is that AI will result in job losses.

“Bosses should have clear policies on the use of AI at work, remember that it is not a perfect technology and have open conversations with employees around its use.”

Acas recommends that employers develop clear policies regarding the use of AI in the workplace and should consult employees and any representatives on its introduction. If there is an expectation that certain roles begin using AI, that could mean a change of terms and conditions.

It advised that AI outputs needed to be checked for accuracy, tone and bias and that its use should always be cited. Staff needed training in order to achieve the best outputs. Employees should also be reassured that human involvement is still key to the use of AI.

Acas also emphasised that a company’s data privacy policies would apply to the use of AI, and so it was wise to check for approved AI platforms. It said employees should be careful entering any information that was business sensitive or personal into public tools. Information entered could be made public or used by others, so awareness of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) was necessary.

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “Workers are understandably concerned about job losses from AI and automation. But unmanaged disruption is not inevitable or acceptable. It’s vital that workers and unions are put front and centre when it comes to the use of AI at work. That means full consultation and transparency – and workers benefiting from the digital dividend that AI can bring.

“No one understands better than the workers themselves how AI could enhance their work. AI can bring huge gains to the world of work if it is developed and rolled out in partnership with working people.”

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