AI automation threatens entry-level roles in food and drink

A new study by BSI (British Standards Institution) is sounding a major alarm for the food and drink sector, suggesting that the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation is poised to eliminate critical entry-level jobs—the traditional starting points for Gen Z careers.

The research, which analysed corporate reports and polled over 850 global business leaders, indicates that companies are overwhelmingly prioritising headcount reduction and efficiency over skills training for their workforce. This trend poses a direct threat to the sector’s talent pipeline, which relies heavily on junior roles in administration, research, and quality control.

The BSI analysis of multinational corporate statements revealed a stark imbalance: discussion related to the automation of jobs appears almost seven times more frequently than terms like ‘upskilling’ or ‘retraining.’

For the food and drink industry, where margins are often tight and efficiency is paramount, the appeal of immediate cost-savings is clear:

• Headcount reduction: over half (51%) of UK business leaders surveyed said AI is already enabling headcount reductions.
• Hiring pre-emption: nearly a third of all UK respondents (29%) reported that their organisation now explores AI solutions before considering hiring a human, a figure expected to reach 41% within five years.
• Job displacement: two-fifths of global business leaders (39%) say entry-level roles have already been reduced or cut due to AI taking over tasks like research, administration, and briefing.

“Our research makes clear that the tension between making the most of AI and enabling a flourishing workforce is the defining challenge of our time,” said Susan Taylor Martin, CEO, BSI. She emphasised an “urgent need for long-term thinking” to ensure sustainable employment.

The study, titled Evolving Together: AI, automation and building the skilled workforce of the future, warns that if this trend continues, traditional pathways for young people to gain essential industry experience will be “increasingly obstructed by algorithmic efficiency.”

In the food sector, where junior roles in purchasing, data management, factory administration, and basic quality assurance are vital for building a career, the risk is severe.

As Kate Field, global head human and social sustainability at BSI, notes: “As roles are streamlined or eliminated before experience can be gained, we risk eroding the professional aspirations of people at the very start of their careers…senior leaders may be ‘pulling up the ladder’.”

However, the research points to a potential silver lining: small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are embracing AI less aggressively than their larger competitors.

While nearly 70% of large global organisations consider AI crucial for growth, only about half of SMEs do. Crucially, while 50% of large firms globally have already cut junior roles, only 30% of SMEs have done the same.

This means that SMEs could become the primary educators for the next generation of food industry professionals, shouldering the responsibility of providing the first, crucial years of experience that large corporations are cutting.

“SMEs have been placed in a critical position, shaping the future of work by shouldering the responsibility of training for Gen Z,” concluded Field. This division suggests that the food and drink industry must rely more heavily on its smaller players to sustain the skilled workforce required for the future.