Kate Alessi, Google’s managing director for the UK and Ireland, has pushed back against warnings that artificial intelligence (AI) will trigger widespread unemployment, arguing that the greater risk lies in failing to equip workers with the skills to thrive alongside the technology.
Alessi made the remarks as Google unveiled a new national upskilling programme backed by £2 million in grant funding from Google.org. She highlighted that previous waves of technological change had sparked similar fears about disappearing jobs, yet each time new roles emerged to replace those lost. “History shows that the anxiety over automation tends to be overblown,” Alessi said.
Her comments come amid growing public concern about AI’s impact on employment. In January, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, warned that the technology could usher in mass unemployment without proper oversight. Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey drew comparisons with the Industrial Revolution, stressing that large-scale retraining and education would be essential to mitigate job losses.
Alessi acknowledges that the labour market will change but frames the challenge differently. She cited research from policy consultancy Public First, noting that roughly six in ten UK jobs are expected to be enhanced rather than eliminated by AI. The priority, she said, is ensuring workers are ready to step into roles created or transformed by the technology, rather than simply fearing displacement.
Recent surveys indicate significant gaps in AI skills among the UK workforce. According to research commissioned by Google, although nearly two-thirds of adults in the UK have tried AI tools, only one in ten consider themselves advanced users. Just a quarter said they use AI in ways that save meaningful time or provide genuinely new capabilities. “Most people are really only scratching the surface,” Alessi said.
To address this skills gap, Google is introducing a series of practical initiatives. The funding will support Gemini tours at universities, designed to ensure graduates enter the workplace with a working knowledge of AI. In addition, Google plans to stage pop-up events branded as “squeeze the juice” bars in towns and cities across the country. These sessions aim to teach everyday users how to move beyond basic AI prompts to more advanced applications, such as automating routine administrative tasks or conducting in-depth research.
Alessi said the programme reflects Google’s view that the future of work is not threatened by AI itself but by a lack of preparedness. “The real risk is not that AI will take jobs, but that people won’t have the skills to use it effectively,” she said. By combining grants, university engagement, and public events, Google hopes to ensure that workers can harness the opportunities AI presents, rather than being left behind by the technology.
