Artificial Intelligence (AI) in London

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Discussion | Future of AI in London

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing how we live and work. It’s used in hiring decisions, in everyday tasks and part of the skills employers are looking for.  

To help City Hall make sure AI benefits all Londoners, we want to hear from you:  

Join the conversation

Thinking about work and jobs in London...

  • What opportunities, if any, do you think AI brings?
  • What challenges, if any, do you think AI poses? 

Luke from City Hall will be reading your comments and joining in the conversation.  

Like what others have commented? You can use the upvote or care button to show support. 

About AI in London

Your views will help shape the work of the Mayor’s new AI and Jobs Taskforce. 

This is a group of experts who will help the Mayor to understand:

  • Where the impacts are greatest  
  • Where the opportunities lie
  • What the Mayor and partners can do to help

You can read more about the Mayor’s plans to support Londoners with AI on our background page.

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Comments (184)

Avatar for - Adelie penguin

 recruitment is now destroyed as all cv's scanned and reviewed by AI and if criteria not met rejected e.g if ou 66 and applying forj ob your automatically rejected as out of age parameter

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 recruitment is now destroyed as all cv's scanned and reviewed by AI and if criteria not met rejected e.g if ou 66 and applying forj ob your automatically rejected as out of age parameter

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Avatar for - Adelie penguin

AI is a magnificent intervention but we all actually need to stand back and debate can we afford AI it is space demanding, energy demanding and water demanding and guess what ? we don't have enough energy, we don't have enough water and we...

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AI is a magnificent intervention but we all actually need to stand back and debate can we afford AI it is space demanding, energy demanding and water demanding and guess what ? we don't have enough energy, we don't have enough water and we don't have enough space unless we give up our green belt, we don't have enough materials for sustenance to survive as we will have to forgo water and energy to AI so maybe we will have to start culling the world population if we considerAI more important than human survival. AI was asked how can we stop the violence between humans- the answer was annihilate the Humans

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Avatar for - Adelie penguin

  • What opportunities, if any, do you think AI brings?

    A few benefits to a select lucky few who are employed due to it

    What challenges, if any, do you think AI poses? 

    Reducing the amount of jobs available, especially entry level jobs catered to...
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  • What opportunities, if any, do you think AI brings?

    A few benefits to a select lucky few who are employed due to it

    What challenges, if any, do you think AI poses? 

    Reducing the amount of jobs available, especially entry level jobs catered to younger people. 
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Avatar for - Staghorn coral

The key challenge I see is the energy consumption for data servers and AI use: How would the council manage that surge of energy needs?

Avatar for - Amur leopard

Negative:

Day to day, people using an AI agent to identify my business as a potential sales lead, and to send me streams of annoying, time wasting emails is a drain on my time. I'm sure they think it's a brilliant way to save effort but it's...

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Negative:

Day to day, people using an AI agent to identify my business as a potential sales lead, and to send me streams of annoying, time wasting emails is a drain on my time. I'm sure they think it's a brilliant way to save effort but it's a waste of time and resources.

It makes up complete rubbish. This is not "hallucinating"; it is falsehoods, and thatnis dangerous.

I don't subscribe to any AI services and falsehoods  to block programs which claim to "help" me to write. I didn't invite any of this in. It's kicked the doors down.

It's intrusive, it steals creative work, it's making people less intelligent.

It uses too much energy and water.

ChatGPT sends me customers who believe it to be giving them facts. It is lying to them, but they believe it no me. 

I am fed social media posts which can appear real, but they are completely fake. The ones I see are being used to spread hate, and to sell useless or harmful "wellness" cures. 

Positive:

I make videos, and the built-in AI which writes captions has improved over its previous voice recognition, which couldn't cope with technical language. That has improved my life; the function was already in place and no longer makes as many mistakes. 

 

 

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Avatar for - Amur leopard

The huge dangers of AI are even being voiced by the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury, finally opening up space for dissent amid the headlong rush to embrace AI and fundamentally transform our lives. The environmental impact, damage to...

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The huge dangers of AI are even being voiced by the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury, finally opening up space for dissent amid the headlong rush to embrace AI and fundamentally transform our lives. The environmental impact, damage to people's cognitive faculties, unethical practices are all of huge concern and too little treated by the media. Powerful vested interests are pushing their own agenda, concealed behind amusing memes.

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Avatar for - Sumatran elephant

So called AI, to me it should more properly be called Machine Learning (though I suppose this doesn't have the zip of AI), can or could be a useful tool in many fields such as scientific, medical and even some humanities research. It should...

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So called AI, to me it should more properly be called Machine Learning (though I suppose this doesn't have the zip of AI), can or could be a useful tool in many fields such as scientific, medical and even some humanities research. It should not be used to make vague efficiency or time "savings" in the way it currently is whilst making humans redundant in what should be human facing roles simultaneously harvesting our personal data for the equally vague justifications put forward by politicians, cultivated on all sides by the optimistic promises of "progress" from the tech Bro's - with, possibly, the odd gratuity - and the far from well understood need those tech Bro's have for our data: all tech Bro's being, obviously, completely trustworthy, decent and well balanced individuals with nothing but a selfless desire to improve humanity's lot

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Avatar for - Sumatran elephant

London need to embrace AI both at workplace and in schools. More funding to be invested into Gen AI in London. 

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London need to embrace AI both at workplace and in schools. More funding to be invested into Gen AI in London. 

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Avatar for - Vaquita

if schools have not got the funding now how are they going to find the funding for that I dot think that is any good for schools we need teachers to teach not AI and as for the workplace thousands and thousands of jobs will be lost I say it...

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if schools have not got the funding now how are they going to find the funding for that I dot think that is any good for schools we need teachers to teach not AI and as for the workplace thousands and thousands of jobs will be lost I say it needs to be stopped before it's too late it will turn out for the worse AI is a bad thing and I most Certainly will not be using it ban it

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Avatar for - Adelie penguin

its unaffo0rdable and will be our destruction sooner rather than later once it has inteligence it will steal our energy and water and we will die

Avatar for - Tiger

AI training and knowledge for older workforce and management in London is urgently needed so that they are not excluded from work

Avatar for - Vaquita

no it's not as you put it urgently needed at all and I don't want training or knowledge because I will never use it and have no interest in it and people are school leavers collage leavers and university leavers can't get work as it is as...

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no it's not as you put it urgently needed at all and I don't want training or knowledge because I will never use it and have no interest in it and people are school leavers collage leavers and university leavers can't get work as it is as companies are closing down because they cant afford to stay open you have only got to look at the high streets and AI will make thousands and thousands of job losses and we will have not many no jobs you only a number in the workplace your job could be next I can see what will happen

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Avatar for - Adelie penguin

I am very concerned about the environmental impact of AI and data centres. I don't think the cost justifies the benefits in the current form. I am also concerned about issues of AI and copyright - it jas real potential to damage the...

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I am very concerned about the environmental impact of AI and data centres. I don't think the cost justifies the benefits in the current form. I am also concerned about issues of AI and copyright - it jas real potential to damage the creative industries and our government isn't taking it seriously enough. However I do think AI has great potential if applied and used effectively. I think it needs to be better regulated and governments need to be a bit less unquestioning about it. 

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Avatar for - Monarch butterfly

ChatGPT is an AI app that people can use in their daily lives to find out information on things. It has helped me find out information about things that I would otherwise find difficult. I am half pro, half anti AI as I think that it is in...

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ChatGPT is an AI app that people can use in their daily lives to find out information on things. It has helped me find out information about things that I would otherwise find difficult. I am half pro, half anti AI as I think that it is in its infancy.  There was a programme on operations being performed by AI where robots were in the operating theatre in London and the surgeon controlling the robots was in New Zealand. 

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Isn't that human intelligence via communications networks, rather than artificial intelligence? The robots are not working independently, on their own. 

It is easier and more reliable to find out information on things without using AI. AI...

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Isn't that human intelligence via communications networks, rather than artificial intelligence? The robots are not working independently, on their own. 

It is easier and more reliable to find out information on things without using AI. AI sucks up all sorts of texts, papers, documents, messages, without having the know-how or any motivation to sort out what is tested verifiable fact and what is not. 

 

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Avatar for - Vaquita

I would rather go to the library and learn from a book and not AI I would rather do the thinking myself and not that thing like i'm a primary school kid

Avatar for - Monarch butterfly

AI is already in London as driverless cars are already around. I find them kind of eerie and would hesitate to get in one. I do wonder what the future holds job wise for my nephews and nieces as the job market adapts to AI and whether they...

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AI is already in London as driverless cars are already around. I find them kind of eerie and would hesitate to get in one. I do wonder what the future holds job wise for my nephews and nieces as the job market adapts to AI and whether they will be able to find jobs. Look at The World Cup, they are using robotic dogs for security reasons. 

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Avatar for - Vaquita

and the driverless cars don't know where they are going half the time and that will take taxi and uber drivers jobs away I don't think that your nephews and nieces will find a job or they will find it ten times difficult to get one and what...

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and the driverless cars don't know where they are going half the time and that will take taxi and uber drivers jobs away I don't think that your nephews and nieces will find a job or they will find it ten times difficult to get one and what can a robot dog do nothing apart from record and the way these feral youths are today they will end up being destroyed and that's a waste of money  

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Avatar for - Sumatran elephant

Waymo self driving cars fall under the scope of AI. I have seen 3 of these in the space of 30 mins around the Elephant, so they can’t all be the same one. I presume you are aware that their unpopularity, for their corporate ownership as...

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Waymo self driving cars fall under the scope of AI. I have seen 3 of these in the space of 30 mins around the Elephant, so they can’t all be the same one. I presume you are aware that their unpopularity, for their corporate ownership as much as their career destroying perniciousness, mean that they are actively frustrated by covering of their Lidar as well as outright vandalism (Hannah Fry did a useful piece on this recently for the BBC). In the light of this, and my own opposition to everything about them, I am wondering what, if any, consultation was taken on their imposition upon our city. 

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Avatar for - Sumatran elephant

I think AI tends to hallucinations 

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I think AI tends to hallucinations 

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Avatar for -

I own The National AI Awards, in its third year now being held in London in 2027 without any government support or funding. Access to support is limited and I would welcome the Mayor personally endorsing these  - www.thenationalaiawards.com...

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I own The National AI Awards, in its third year now being held in London in 2027 without any government support or funding. Access to support is limited and I would welcome the Mayor personally endorsing these  - www.thenationalaiawards.com


They highlight the amazing innovation and community that is emerging - no cost to enter and all finalists have a free ticket so totally inclusive and without barrier to entry.

Professor Richard Benham


 

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Avatar for - Vaquita

I don't and never will support this and I will not be going to that it's these giant techs and you I think are destroying peoples livelihoods best to give it all up is my opinion i'm against AI

Avatar for - Amur leopard

I feel adapting to the change which is already upon us may be the biggest challenge for Londoners but the opportunities are endless. 

For example I think most people have looked up cause and remedy for an illness using AI. Or attended their...

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I feel adapting to the change which is already upon us may be the biggest challenge for Londoners but the opportunities are endless. 

For example I think most people have looked up cause and remedy for an illness using AI. Or attended their GP and have them do the exact same scrolling to  searching for answers. 

Another classic example would be where I have used AI to fact check my application against a London job.

AI has  the ability to enhance many different types of jobs in London. Street cleaning is another example, when I see the street cart on standby, I know in which café to find it's owner. The same system used to clean shopping malls can be adapted for street cleaning lessening the workload.

The Arts contribute greatly towards the London economy and here is where AI can have a major impact particularly on assisting with production and supporting  the less glamorous admin tasks.

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Thus getting rid of some admin posts. Pros and Cons. I think there will be vast swathes of job losses before too long. So many office workers and even receptionists are potentially replacable by AI.

I don't think the GPs are googling their...

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Thus getting rid of some admin posts. Pros and Cons. I think there will be vast swathes of job losses before too long. So many office workers and even receptionists are potentially replacable by AI.

I don't think the GPs are googling their patients' illnesses. They have their own systems and the NHS info.  

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Avatar for - Vaquita

it only has cons as far as I'm concerned and it is all downhill from there before it's fully out

Avatar for - Staghorn coral

Hi Luke,


I think that there are many potential uses of AI for Londoners.  These would range from even better TfL journey planners.


Thanks,


Aoife

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Hi Luke,


I think that there are many potential uses of AI for Londoners.  These would range from even better TfL journey planners.


Thanks,


Aoife

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Avatar for - Amur leopard

AI will definitely pick up the pace in terms of time allocated to completing job and  tasks in the workplac such producing comprehensive reports, fact finding, letter writing and general administrative work. AI is also really good for...

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AI will definitely pick up the pace in terms of time allocated to completing job and  tasks in the workplac such producing comprehensive reports, fact finding, letter writing and general administrative work. AI is also really good for compiling databases and would therefore be of assistance in areas such as the NHS  for example, to streamline results, data analysing and activating schedules.

The down side I guess would be reduction in recruitment of lower level jobs, which in itself has an up side, as financial savings in one area can be better placed in another (double edge sword). 

Other considerations would be unchecked, unfiltered and unregulated AI  information used to disseminate propaganda and increase the spread of disinformation. Employee and employers  not being able to distinguish real from fake and ending up building on a system  not dissimilar to the dark Web, only much more sophisticated.

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Avatar for - Vaquita

and humans can't do that work it's as if you are saying that maybe it's better if people lose their jobs because AI is the best thing since sliced bread it can be kept far away from the NHS as far as possible I had text from the DRs that...

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and humans can't do that work it's as if you are saying that maybe it's better if people lose their jobs because AI is the best thing since sliced bread it can be kept far away from the NHS as far as possible I had text from the DRs that has just started that AI telling me just buy a product that would help me and I went to the DRS and he told me was something competently different to what that AI rubbish said on that text message if I had not have gone to the DRs that day this new medical condition that I have could have got worse and I could have ended up in hospital with something life threatening so much for AI I believe that it be will be nothing but trouble open to abuse hacked and a hell of a lot of disinformation whats real or fake and even worse it should have never been brought out ban it before it's to late

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Avatar for - Monarch butterfly

AI in the NHS would also mean even less confidentiality than typical and data/privacy leaks. AI is not at the position where information can truly be kept safe. 

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AI in the NHS would also mean even less confidentiality than typical and data/privacy leaks. AI is not at the position where information can truly be kept safe. 

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Avatar for -

It's critical that London invests in AI where it will add most value.  We need to embrace change and technology not hide away from it.  As one of the great cities of the world we should be at the forefront of development which will save...

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It's critical that London invests in AI where it will add most value.  We need to embrace change and technology not hide away from it.  As one of the great cities of the world we should be at the forefront of development which will save time, increase efficiency and remove waste.

It can be used to perform many critical tasks in a fraction of the time which human brains can manage.

In my own area I can do research across millions of volumes to establish information. But you still need intelligence to differentiate and work out what is valuable.

At the same time we must pay equal attention to security and staying ahead of hackers and fraudsters.

Will it cost jobs, probably but from what I am reading everyone is going to be working years longer so won't this offset some of that? Also, ever since I was born technology has been going to displace people.

 

 

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This time, so many more people will be displaced, so much faster. So many redundant humans.


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Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to computer systems that can perform tasks that usually require human intelligence, such as:

  • writing text,
  • generating images,
  • producing music,
  • recognising speech, and
  • translating language.