More than 1m young people are out of work, and AI is about to wipe out millions more jobs. What should we do?

Central London’s 2014 standstill—caused by black-cab drivers protesting Uber—was one early example of how new tech collides with existing work. Research now suggests the next wave could be harsher. In the UK, economist Carl-Benedikt Frey of Oxford’s AI & Work program says AI-driven change could trigger civil unrest well before mass unemployment, arguing that even a small income hit (he cites 5%–10%) can spark backlash. A King’s College London study found over half of Britons expect widespread job losses from AI, and 1 in 5 fear unrest-level speed. An IPPR 2024 report warns that, without government action, nearly eight million UK jobs could be lost.