British adults are more anxious about robots than people in any other major economy, according to a new global study which suggests the unease may stem from a lack of exposure to the technology in everyday life. The research, published by technology firm Hexagon, is based on a survey 18,000 people across nine countries for its Robot Generation report. It found that 52 percent of adults in the UK say they worry something might go wrong when they think about interacting with robots. The global average is 42 percent, while in South Korea the figure is just 29 percent. (more…)

Artificial intelligence appears to be contributing to a net loss of jobs, according to a new analysis of how organisations are adopting the technology across their operations. Research by Morgan Stanley, based on responses from nearly 1,000 companies that have been using AI for at least a year, suggests that British firms have shed more roles than they have created as a direct result of AI deployment. The study indicates a net reduction of around 8 percent of roles in the UK over the past twelve months, a higher figure than reported in comparable surveys of companies in the United States, Germany, Japan and Australia. (more…)

While artificial intelligence is taking on work across the economy, it may also create new demands on the human workforce that employers must stay ahead of and respond to. Researchers from Microsoft and Imperial College London highlight in the Society of Occupational Medicine’s (SOM) journal Occupational Medicine  that AI tools will bring a multitude of benefits to the workplace. The technology is likely to make accessing workplace health support much easier for employees and managers, for example by automating and simplifying booking processes and appointments. (more…)