Overview

• UK online job postings fell 31% year-on-year in the three months to May, with vacancies in highly AI-exposed sectors dropping 38% as companies reassess hiring plans.
• Businesses in real estate and education bucked the trend with stable or rising listings, underscoring that tech and finance jobs are bearing the brunt of cuts.
• BT, Amazon, Ocado and Microsoft have announced or carried out thousands of position cuts tied partly to automation strategies.
• Entry-level and junior roles have plummeted by nearly one-third since late 2022 as generative AI tools automate routine tasks like data entry and scheduling.
• The government’s £44 billion AI programme claims to have created about 13,250 jobs and train 7.5 million workers, yet many economists still blame tax increases and high borrowing costs for the broader hiring slowdown.