Kingston University students fear AI will shrink job prospects

2 November 2024

-          Nezar Boufrahi

3 in 4 students feel that AI is a threat to their course and their future employment.

Image generated by Grok 3.

Students are worried about generative AI’s ability to produce vast amounts of work in seconds and the temptation for employers to outsource work to AI rather than hiring and paying workers. This is according to a survey conducted across Kingston University campuses.

67% of students who believed AI would affect their post-graduation employability currently study creative industry courses such as filmmaking, game development and computer animation.

Third-year Games Art & Design student at Norwich University of the Arts, Erin Curtis, described employers as “lazy” for prioritising profits made from using AI over employing concept artists.

“Creative fields especially are being hit hard,” said Curtis. “I don’t even want to think about what the job market’s going to look like after I’ve finished my course,” she added.

Whilst graduate labour market statistics from gov.uk show that post-graduation employment has risen by 0.4% to 87.7% in 2023, Forbes reported that nearly 75% of businesses began using AI in 2024, up from less than one-third of respondents in 2023.

When asked if AI is a threat to their job prospects, some students have feel conflicted.

Edward Fleming, a second-year Cyber Security & Digital Forensics student at Kingston University, said: “AI is a double-edged sword. It can help me find vulnerabilities however it can also help attackers find weaknesses in systems.”

Experts have been quick to reassure students that AI is not a threat to their future livelihoods.

Professor Graham Shapiro, an award-winning inventor, graphic designer and entrepreneur has advised students to “coexist with technology” rather than to fear it.

“Particularly in my sector, design, AI can streamline study processes, provide personalised learning experiences, and facilitate access to vast resources, making education more efficient and engaging,” said Shapiro. “By integrating AI into their studies, students can develop critical skills that are essential in the modern job market.”

63 out of 93 Kingston University students said that they felt prepared for AI in the job market by their lecturers.

This has been driven by the university itself as a response to a YouGov poll where nearly 75% of UK business leaders believed that current graduates are not prepared for success in future AI jobs. As a result, Kingston University has pushed to have AI taught in most of their courses.

Despite the concern regarding employers' temptation to prioritise AI in the workplace, students have also admitted to using AI in their work. Out of 93 students, 18 said that they used AI to draft and write assignments.

An anonymous KU student admitted to using AI “shamefully” for a biochemistry multiple-choice question exam due to not revising.

Whilst Kingston University, unlike other institutions, allows the use of AI, it must be fully acknowledged within all work, as part of their Academic Integrity policy.