Britons must work with robots in the future, research warns — 'AI is shaping workplace dynamics'

The UK is losing around £10.9bn annually without these skills

Britons must learn to work with robots in the future, according to new research from Kingston University London.

The UK could unlock a massive £69.1bn in economic growth by 2030 – but only if people develop what experts are calling "fusion skills." They're essentially the abilities that help you work effectively with Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems rather than against them. These could include virtual assistants, recommendation engines, chatbots, and more.

Dr Evy Sakellariou, Associate Professor and Gen AI Innovation lead for Kingston University’s Foresight, said: "We're no longer talking about human-led AI, but how people can work effectively alongside machines.

"To do this, all employees will need to develop these advanced fusion skills alongside core human-centric skills.

"Our work with sector leaders revealed real enthusiasm for these technologies, but also uncertainty about how best to upskill the workforce."

However, the flip side of this opportunity is pretty stark. Right now, the UK is losing around £10.9bn every year because workers lack the skills needed for AI-enabled roles – that's nearly £29m vanishing daily.

If nothing changes, that figure is set to jump by 40% to reach £15.2bn annually by 2030. To put that in perspective, it's like wiping out the entire economic contribution of a major city like Newcastle.

On an individual level, employees without the right AI skills could see their productivity drop by a striking 24.6%, amounting to roughly £10,584 per person in lost potential each year.

The research identifies three core fusion skills that have become essential as people increasingly collaborate with AI systems.

First up is smart AI questioning, which is equivalent to learning to ask better questions so you get more useful and reliable answers from AI tools.

Then there's contextual AI training, which means teaching AI how your specific business actually operates.

Finally, critical human judgment involves knowing when to trust AI's output and when to step in and make the call yourself.

The research also indicates that younger, tech-savvy employees might actually end up teaching those in leadership positions how to keep pace with AI.

Career expert Sonya Barlow, author of The New Rules of Networking, said: "Many see AI as a challenge, but it can be the great equaliser – everyone is starting from point zero. AI is also reshaping workplace dynamics.

"Younger professionals are often more native to the digital landscape, meaning they are increasingly the ones experimenting with tools, testing use cases and sharing what works. “In many organisations, that is creating a shift where learning flows both ways, with junior employees helping to upskill more senior colleagues.

"That culture of shared learning encourages innovation, so organisations should create space to experiment with new tools and exchange best practice. The professionals who progress will be those open to exploring AI in their day-to-day work and taking initiative to apply it in practical ways."

For example, across the UK's 609,000 advertising and marketing professionals, this skills gap is equivalent to the output of approximately 150,000 full-time workers.

The gap among senior staff is currently costing creative sector businesses more than £18,000 per employee, and that cost could nearly double by 2030 without action.

Niel Bornman, CEO of Publicis Connected Media UK, said: "AI is changing how advertising works, that's clear, but people are still our biggest advantage. If we want AI to make a genuine difference, we have to invest in those people working alongside it."

A total of 90% of advertising and marketing leaders believe fusion skills will be critical for senior leadership effectiveness by 2027. And the advertising and marketing sector alone contributes £109bn annually to the UK economy, making up 4% of total economic output.