Expectations vs reality | HR leaders warned against AI overreliance amid mass job loss fears

A potential loss of 250,000 UK jobs and a sharp downturn in business confidence are putting HR leaders under pressure to rethink workforce strategies, with fresh warnings that AI may not be the safety net many organisations are banking on.

Analysis reported by The Guardian, drawing on forecasts from EY Item Club and Deloitte, suggests the UK is “flirting with recession” as geopolitical tensions push up energy costs and dampen hiring plans.

But according to Gartner, the bigger risk for HR leaders may be a growing mismatch between expectations of AI-driven productivity and the reality on the ground.

AI expectations outpacing reality

Eva Johnson, Senior Director, Analyst at Gartner, said many organisations are looking to AI as a way to offset cost pressures and stabilise their workforce strategies, but the evidence suggests those gains are far from guaranteed.