Government appoints Mike Clancy to new AI and future of work panel
Prospect General Secretary Mike Clancy has been appointed by the government to serve on a new expert advisory panel on AI and the future of work.
The advisory panel will support the work of the new AI and the Future of Work Unit in the Department of Science, Innovation, and Technology.
This will be a new Unit that will research and monitor AI’s economic and labour market impacts to provide timely advice on when new policies should be implemented.
The Unit will also lead across government on the AI and the Future of Work Programme.
This programme will prepare the UK for AI-driven labour market transformation. The programme will be guided by the principles of recognising that work is fundamental to human dignity, ensuring people benefit from this once-in-a-generation transformation, prioritising economic growth through AI adoption, supporting workers to update their skills, and establishing a positive, practical vision for the future.
An expert panel of industry, academia, civil society and trade union representatives will support the Unit, providing strategic insight to its work, supporting external collaboration, and enabling the effective delivery of the work programme. Members include Daniel Susskind, Diane Coyle, Abigial Gilbert (IFOW), Naomi Weir (CBI), and Mike Clancy (Prospect Union).
Prospect general secretary Mike Clancy said:
“The world of work is changing rapidly, with AI and other technologies altering the content, nature, and pace of work in almost every corner of the economy.
“Workers can benefit from this transition, but only if steps are taken to prepare people and organisations for change, and if the workforce is given a real voice in the process. We also need a coordinated workforce plan to make sure short-term AI-related job cuts, particularly in lower level or graduate jobs, do not leave us with higher level skills shortages further down the line.
“Prospect are proud to represent some of the most skilled workers in Britain, including in tech and many of the industries that will power future economic growth, and I’m delighted to have been asked to serve on this panel and contribute our expertise on this subject. I hope we can help the government to be on the front foot and work with them to ensure working people share in the benefits of the AI revolution.”