Major employers from across the capital’s economy are today calling on the Mayor of London, the Government and businesses to back an ambitious 10-point plan to ensure AI drives growth, while also ensuring Londoners are equipped with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly-evolving jobs market.
The recommendations from the BusinessLDN-Deloitte AI Steering Committee, which brings together leading businesses from a wide range of different industries in London, come as AI adoption is accelerating across the capital – albeit unevenly across sectors, firms and workers.
With almost half (46%) of jobs in London exposed to generative AI compared with 38% nationally, the capital has a significant opportunity to boost growth and productivity by leading on adoption.
But the pace of this technological revolution means firms are also increasingly facing skills gaps, with a recent BusinessLDN survey of more than 2,000 business leaders across the city finding that only half (50%) say their existing workforce has the skills and capabilities needed to meet the requirements of their business – down from 63% a year earlier. 78% of London firms surveyed forecast a significant need for AI and advanced digital skills over the next five years – up from 66% in 2025.
To meet this challenge and support Londoners through the transition, the AI Steering Committee’s practical recommendations include the Mayor creating a new pan-London Careers and Skills Service to help more people navigate the capital’s fragmented careers landscape, establishing a real-time AI and labour market dashboard to track workforce impacts and emerging skills needs, and embedding employer co-design at the heart of skills provision to ensure AI training keeps pace with evolving need. The action plan has been submitted to the Mayor’s AI and Jobs Taskforce, which is set to publish its final report later this week.
Muniya Barua, Deputy Chief Executive of BusinessLDN and Chair of the BusinessLDN-Deloitte AI Steering Committee, said: “London is at the sharp end of the AI revolution, with the impact on businesses and workers already being felt more deeply than almost anywhere else. That creates a huge opportunity, but also a responsibility to ensure Londoners are equipped with the skills they need for the jobs of today and tomorrow.
“Our recommendations set out practical actions that City Hall, Whitehall and employers should take to ensure AI is a force for good. By working together, London can cement its position as a global AI leader, boost productivity and ensure no one is left behind.”
The BusinessLDN-Deloitte AI Steering Committee brings together senior leaders from across the capital to explore what AI means for productivity, people, and London’s economy. Membership includes: Addleshaw Goddard, Brainstation, Canary Wharf Group, Derwent London, Haleon, Imperial, JLL, Linklaters, Lloyds Bank, Mace, Microsoft, Natwest, Sky, Stagecoach, and WSP.
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