A new report by the Institute for
Public Policy Research (IPPR) reveals the significant impact
generative AI is having on UK society, both professionally and
personally. The findings highlight an urgent need for government
intervention to set a clear direction for AI's role in daily
life.
On the eve of the international AI
summit — attended by world leaders and the CEOs of major
technology companies — AI progress continues to accelerate at an
unprecedented pace and is poised to have a seismic impact on
society. This transformation, including the development of
sophisticated AI agents, calls for greater democratic oversight
and direction.
The report notes
that:
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Generative AI is reshaping the
workplace, particularly within the knowledge economy — jobs
reliant on computer-based tasks like project management,
marketing, and administrative
support.
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IPPR's analysis of 22,000 tasks
commonly performed by workers found that up to 70 per cent of
tasks in these types of roles could be significantly
transformed or replaced by AI.
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AI has the greatest impact on
“organisational and strategic tasks” as well as “repetitive and
non-repetitive cognitive and analytical tasks,” raising
questions about the future of work and how businesses adapt to
this rapid transformation.
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Beyond the economy, society is
already being changed by AI. Approximately 930,000 people in
the UK have AI digital companions on the app ‘Character.AI',
while a similar number may also have companions on ‘Replika'.
Many users have had romantic relationships with these
chatbots.
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While these companions can provide
emotional support, they also carry risks of addiction and
potential long-term psychological impacts, especially for young
people.
IPPR argues that current AI policy is
too narrowly focused on either accelerating AI adoption or
ensuring its safety, while neglecting the critical need for
setting a clear and purposeful direction for AI adoption. The
report advocates for a "new politics of AI", where politicians,
citizens, and businesses collaborate to define specific missions
and targets for AI deployment to
achieve.
The upcoming Paris AI Action Summit
presents an opportunity for policymakers to shift the focus
toward mission based AI policies that deliver public value. This
means leveraging AI innovation to address pressing societal
challenges, such as improving healthcare, combating climate
change, and enhancing education.
IPPR advocates for a mission-based
approach, where governments:
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Set clear
policies, including
tax policy and regulatory
frameworks
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Establish measurable
targets and funding
mechanisms alongside timelines
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Partner with private
sector and civil
society to guide AI development
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Ensure robust
oversight to keep AI
advancements aligned with public
interest
Carsten Jung, head of AI at
IPPR, said:
“AI capabilities are advancing at
breath-taking speed. The launch of ‘AI agents' shows AI is
different from past technologies. It is not merely a tool – it is
an actor. AI technology could have a seismic impact on economy
and society: it will transform jobs, destroy old ones, create new
ones, trigger the development of new products and services and
allow us to do things we could not do before. But given its
immense potential for change, it is important to steer it towards
helping us solve big societal
problems.
“Politics needs to catch up with
the implications of powerful AI. Beyond just ensuring AI models
are safe, we need to determine what goals we want to achieve.
This demands democratic debate and close scrutiny of how AI is
deployed. The public will want to be involved in setting clear
missions and boundaries. The promise of AI to tackle some of
humanity's biggest problems is tantalising – we all have a stake
in directing and achieving it.”
