Half of workers worry AI will still take their job as new report claims use of agents soars 90% in just a year

Date:
Sun, 14 Jun 2026 10:05:00 +0000

Description:
GMB Union data reveals 48% of workers fear AI job displacement, despite a 90% rise in agent usage as companies integrate AI tools.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Nearly half of UK workers fear job losses, but agent usage continues to grow Workers are also worried about workplace monitoring Human oversight remains key, but worker retraining is a must New data from GMB Union has revealed that nearly half (48%) of UK
workers worry AI will take their job amid broader AI rollouts, which could be reducing uptake.

Nearly a third (29%) said their employers have introduced AI tools, with a quarter (26%) noting that artificial intelligence is now performing tasks
they would normally do themselves, fueling the fears. But beyond administrative support and potential job automation, a clear misunderstanding of the tech could be driving other workplace fears. Latest Videos From Watch full video here: Workers concerned about job cuts despite increasing AI adoption For example, nearly half (48%) believe AI is being used to monitor
or track them, introducing new surveillance and performance monitoring fears.

GMB likens its findings to previous shifts like the advent of the internet union reps argue AI could actually improve productivity, noting that
displaced workers should get the support, training and opportunities they deserve. You may like 'Some of our employees fear job loss, and it turns them away from AI altogether': AI is helping boost productivity for some workers but others still say they're afraid to use it Nearly two-thirds of workers
say they've exaggerated AI skills to get ahead Many firms don't know what their workers are sharing with AI tools

The union pointed to two recent local layoffs in the UK, including around 1,000 jobs at Asdas George division and 450 jobs at Nestl. These examples, as well as the more than 117,000 tech workers that have been laid off already in 2026 (via layoffs.fyi ), put meat on the bones of workers fears.

We cant just leave it to companies to do the right thing. As we all know, their priority will almost always be their bottom line, one worker told GMB. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

The Government must legislate to protect workers jobs or guarantee retraining or redeployment when change is unavoidable. (Image credit: Getty Images) Separate Stack Overflow research also points toward growing AI adoption, noting a 90% year-over-year increase from 31% to 59%, as well as a 164% rise in daily use, indicative of more frequent use and higher trust.

However, even as employers start to integrate autonomous AI agents, the
report highlights just how important human workers remain. Three in five rarely or never let agents complete tasks without human oversight (63%). What to read next 'AI adoption has become a game of chance': Employees are being left to navigate AI tools on their own as businesses fail to implement proper training Is this the tipping point for AI at work? New Gallup survey finds half of all US employees now use it in some way More and more workers say they'd be happy with an AI boss but don't expect it to give them a raise any time soon

A similar number (60%) prevent agents from making unapproved system changes, too, with the rise of systems like Claude Code and Codex capable of greater autonomy.

Fears over immediate job losses are also written off, with companies still struggling with the same hurdles theyve been facing for years, implying AIs effects on workers could be years away yet. Around four in five are concerned about AI accuracy (82%) and security/privacy risks (77%). Change is on the horizon Things could be changing though, with companies beginning to be less worried about the same things theyve been worried about for years. Though
cost still serves as a major barrier for 38%, its down from 53% last year.

But even as AI adoption climbs, other studies have suggested we might not be at risk after all.

Separate research from the World Economic Forum expects 170 million new jobs to be created by 2030, even though 92 million could be displaced. With disruption estimated to affect 22% of workers, it could be more about repositioning roles and retraining workers than losing humans altogether.

Looking ahead, the WEF sees AI, data, networks, cybersecurity and technological literacy in general as the most in-demand skills. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/half-of-workers-worry-ai-will-still-take-their-j ob-as-new-report-claims-use-of-agents-soars-90-percent-in-just-a-year


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64)
* Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100)