Concerns that AI would eliminate jobs have dominated public conversation for years, fueling fears of mass unemployment and disruption.
A report from the Lloyds Business Barometer claims over half (54%) of UK businesses say AI has already created new jobs within their organizations.
The findings arrive as firms increasingly treat AI adoption as central to competitiveness, workforce skills, and long-term business growth strategy.
The majority (58%) of businesses say they now plan to increase investment in AI tools and skill training over the next twelve months – and of the businesses planning to raise AI investment, 42% expect to spend between £25,000 and £100,000 during the coming year.
Another 26% expect to spend between £100,000 and £250,000, showing a clear appetite for deeper AI skills funding across sectors.
Despite this spending push, 31% of businesses admit their current workforce still lacks the AI skills the company actually needs.
To close that gap, 43% of firms are introducing formal AI skills training while 32% are expanding programs already in place.
A smaller share, 24%, say they now prioritize AI skills when hiring, while 21% are creating entirely new AI-specific roles.
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