AI agents set to replace thousands of UK jobs by end of 2026

Research by Gravitee forecasts that 100,000 AI-powered virtual workers, known as AI Agents, will join the UK workforce by the end of 2026, with a surge in companies replacing human staff with bots.

The findings are based on a survey of 250 C-suite executives at large British firms, each with more than 250 employees, and reveal a widespread shift towards adopting AI-driven labour for tasks previously carried out by people.

Increase in AI hiring

According to the research, most large companies in the UK expect to have between 16 and 20 AI Agents operating within their organisations by the end of 2026. Even the most conservative executives surveyed expect to employ at least five AI Agents within that period.

Among executives surveyed, 65% indicated they would reduce headcount before the end of 2026, while a further 8% said they would freeze recruitment. The survey suggests a significant proportion of roles traditionally performed by human staff could be handled by AI-powered workers, with cost cited as a key driver for the transition.

Impact on HR and software roles

The report identifies HR and software engineering as sectors most likely to be affected by the rise of AI Agents. Almost half (49%) of the executives said that AI Agents can already perform more than half of a current HR professional's job.

Across all respondents, 46% believe that more than half the work of software engineers, HR managers, or customer service agents could be automated by AI Agents. These findings highlight expectations that automation will have broad implications for workforce structure and the types of roles most at risk.

Broader workforce effects

The adoption of AI Agents is not predicted to be limited to junior or entry-level positions. The data reveals that 97% of participating business leaders believe that components of their own roles, including elements of management and strategic decision-making, could be performed in part by AI Agents.

Recent announcements from companies such as Amazon, Telstra, Salesforce, and Fiverr regarding workforce reductions in favour of AI automation reflect these broader trends across various industries.

The research also addresses the question of control and oversight, noting that the use of agentic AI in sensitive or highly regulated sectors will require comprehensive governance and rigorous safeguards.

Productivity and governance concerns

"Agentic AI will offer a huge productivity boom to firms of all sizes, with AI agents completing rote, repetitive tasks while workers are freed up to focus on more interesting challenges," said Rory Blundell, CEO at Gravitee.

Blundell continued:

"However, it's clear that, at least in the short term, there's a risk of widespread job cuts until companies know how to balance the investment with the return, which may be shortsighted. Not least because AI Agents, without proper governance, can cause widespread chaos and disruption. It was reassuring to see that nearly a quarter of companies actually plan to increase their headcount to support agentic AI expansion: these are the companies that see the human-AI connection as a value unlock, not as a trade-off. Just as the Industrial Revolution and then the internet created completely new types of jobs, I expect we will see the same in this AI Revolution."

Planning for the future

The research highlights that nearly a quarter of the companies surveyed intend to expand their workforce specifically to support the introduction and management of agentic AI systems, recognising the emergence of new roles focused on safe implementation and oversight of these agents.

Gravitee notes that this trend will likely create new professions and specialisations, in line with historical shifts brought about by periods of technological transformation.

All participants in the survey confirmed intentions to introduce AI Agents to their organisations in some capacity, with only a minority expecting a relatively modest adoption.

The data was collected in September 2025 and incorporates the views of technology leaders from at least 250 large UK companies, with respondents drawn from a range of sectors.