Overview

• Allison Kirkby said advances in AI could shrink BT’s workforce beyond its plan to cut up to 55,000 roles by the end of the decade.
• The restructuring effort targets £3 billion in cost savings by 2030 through headcount reductions and operational efficiencies.
• She indicated that if Openreach’s market value remains undervalued, BT may spin off the network unit to unlock shareholder returns.
• BT has deployed generative AI across sales and support functions, and EE’s virtual assistant is handling up to 60,000 customer conversations weekly.
• Industry peers such as Klarna and executives at AI firms warn that automation could displace hundreds of white-collar positions, intensifying labor pressures.