The New Statesman | UK politics and culture Is AI coming for our jobs? - Listener questions episode
Jul 18, 2025
The podcast delves into pressing issues like the impact of AI on jobs, raising concerns about potential job losses and societal unrest. It questions whether the decline in retail and hospitality roles is truly about automation or a smokescreen for workforce cuts. The discussion also addresses the inequities of council tax and explores the intricacies of left-wing political alliances, particularly with Jeremy Corbyn and the Green Party. Finally, the need for unity among leftist factions to avoid votes splitting is emphasized.
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AI's Dual Impact on Society
- AI is touted by government as a solution for all problems but brings serious social and economic risks.
- AI accelerates societal division by facilitating creation of violent, racist, and polarizing content.
AI Threatens Graduate Job Market
- Early AI job losses affect well-educated young graduates in traditionally better-off constituencies.
- Political upheaval may follow if these workers face diminishing job and housing prospects due to AI.
AI as Excuse for Job Cuts
- Current biggest job losses are in retail and hospitality, due to economic slowdown, not AI automation.
- Companies sometimes use AI as an excuse to cut jobs rather than it being the direct cause.
