Around three in ten jobs in the South are in occupations poised to change due to artificial intelligence (AI), according to a new report from the University of Southampton.
It says the potential for change is slightly higher in Hampshire and the Solent than the England average. The good news for workers is that in most industries, AI is more likely to assist with tasks than replace jobs.
The report accompanies a paper setting out ' Fifty ways Hampshire and the Solent are shaping Britain's AI revolution .' Both are being presented today [5th November] at the Business South Annual Conference.
People working in finance, professional services, ICT and public administration will see the biggest changes, according to the report. Construction, hospitality and care are the least affected sectors.
"AI will reshape work unevenly," says Sue Littlemore, Director of Civic University at the University of Southampton, who commissioned the report.
"Information, analysis and administrative roles will feel the greatest shift, while jobs built on physical presence and personal interaction are less directly exposed."
In most occupations AI will support decision-making and speed up routine tasks, with potential productivity benefits, while people will remain responsible for judgement, relationships and outcomes.
However, the report says around 55,000 workers (roughly 5% of workforce) are in roles where AI could take over a large share of day-to-day tasks. These workers are disproportionately female, part-time, and in the middle of their career.
Policy recommendations in the report include AI skills training, a public sector exemplar programme, and a transition guarantee to help retrain and redeploy workers at the most risk of job losses.
Region playing its part in UK's AI future
With the share of local firms reporting AI use doubling in three years, Fifty ways Hampshire and the Solent are shaping Britain's AI revolution highlights how the South is also adopting and steering AI development.
"Hampshire and the Solent have all the ingredients to help shape AI, not just adopt it," says Professor Les Carr, Deputy Director of the Web Science Institute at the University of Southampton.
"Within one connected region we have major employers in maritime, aerospace, defence and life sciences, some of the UK's busiest ports and logistics networks, and top research institutions that are bringing expertise in all those areas together with AI innovation.
"That means we can move from research to real-world impact quickly, and make sure the benefits are felt locally, from new jobs and skills to more productive businesses and better public services."
The University of Southampton leads the £31M Responsible AI UK consortium, has Dame Wendy Hall advising the United Nations on AI, and was the first UK university to embed AI literacy for every student.
The region is reported to have more than 200 AI companies, with 57 new AI businesses created in the 2025 alone.
The paper also details how public and third sector organisations are embedding AI, from Hampshire police using an AI virtual assistant to support public enquires to University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation improving imaging quality with AI for breast screening enhanced accuracy.
Read How might artificial intelligence affect the labour market in Hampshire and the Solent here and Fifty ways Hampshire and the Solent are shaping Britain's AI revolution here.
