Experts Share: How Startups Should Hire If Jobs Are Taken By Automation And AI?

Microsoft has named 40 roles that are most exposed to AI, mostly in knowledge-based fields. These are jobs like editors, data scientists, management analysts and political scientists. Most of these roles need a degree, which then contradicts the whole idea that university guarantees safer careers.

Microsoft looked at 200,000 real world tasks and found that AI can already handle parts of roles that involve writing, admin and communication. Although AI doesn’t fully replace any single job, companies like IBM have paused hiring in areas where automation is expected to take over in the next 5 years.

At the other end, Microsoft listed jobs with very low exposure to AI, often because they on work by means of physical work or physical presence. Some of these jobs are dredge operators, floor sanders, water treatment plant workers and personal care assistants. The US Bureau of Labor expects care jobs to grow fastest over the next decade.

 

What Do UK Workers Want In Jobs?

 

More UK workers are looking for roles that are harder for AI to take over. Research from the London Interdisciplinary School found that 35% of people are already looking for jobs that feel safer from automation. Ed Fidoe, CEO of LIS, says this shift is important for startups, which often focus too much on short-term technical hires instead of adaptability or ethical thinking.

Fidoe said that 51% of UK CEOs now see AI adaptability as essential when hiring senior staff. At the same time, nearly half a million UK employees want their CEO to have a clear strategy for AI, automation, and data. Despite this, only 38% of business leaders feel universities are preparing graduates for future job demands.

He believes that hiring people who can think across different areas and adapt to new tools is more useful in the long run than hiring just for technical skills.

 

How Startups Should Approach Hiring When Many Roles May Soon Be Automated?

 

Our Experts

 

Sonali Fenner, Managing Director, Slalom
Karen Watts, Founder & CEO, DomiSource
Meenakshi Singh, Co-founder, SCORR LTD.

 

Sonali Fenner, Managing Director, Slalom

 

 

“There’s no doubt AI is reshaping how work gets done, however it’s important we don’t jump to the conclusion that it’s all about replacement. Yes, some companies are making cuts while ramping up AI investments, and terms like ‘efficiency’ and ‘restructuring’ can feel like code. But the real story is more nuanced and far less AI-driven than headlines may suggest.

“Many organisations are still responding to post-pandemic overexpansion, shifting towards more focused performance management and in-office engagement. What we’re seeing in many cases is workforce normalisation rather than mass automation. Even companies with significant AI budgets are largely still in pilot or experimentation phases.”

 

 

“So the investment is real, but widespread job automation is not yet a reality.
That said, AI is undoubtedly shifting the shape of work. Some lower-value roles may disappear, but new ones are emerging just as quickly. The businesses seeing the most success are those using AI to augment human capability, instead of sidelining it, by empowering teams, sparking innovation and opening new opportunities.

“To get this right, change must be led from the top, with a clear strategy and an honest, inclusive dialogue. The focus needs to be on mitigating change fatigue by offering clarity, purpose and the space for teams to grow alongside the technology. That’s where the real, sustainable value of AI will come from”

 

Karen Watts, Founder & CEO, DomiSource

 

 

“You need to use that same logic when making hiring decisions.

“Startups need to be methodical in their analysis of roles. Start with an analysis of tasks and systems within your startup. Place them into categories, or buckets, which utilise people’s time and which can be automatable. An example of this would be people-based roles and more automation (customer support, data input) are good candidates for automation. Startups should be thinking about hiring people for roles that involve high-level decision making, creativity, or emotional intelligence, as these are the types of roles that are unlikely to be automated by AI or machine learning.

“Second, the cost of hiring becomes increasingly important when we consider the advancements in automation.

“As a former CFO, I can tell you that if you are evaluating a growing company, there is never a simple decision of whether to hire a person, or have technology automate the existing job function – you have to factor in the full costs of a hire. If a job can be automated, we’ve wasted most full-time salaries when you consider associated employee costs (full time-payroll taxes, benefits and so on). In most scenarios, if the job can be automated, invest in the automated technology and then you have something you can scale with time.

“From an operational standpoint, hiring for roles that might soon be automated should include detailed contracts and clear performance metrics. Be prepared for turnover or role shifts as automation develops. For example, many employees in customer service may soon find their jobs replaced by AI chatbots. This means that businesses need to focus on developing a flexible workforce – one that can easily transition into new roles as automation evolves.”

 

Meenakshi Singh, Co-founder, SCORR LTD.

 

 

“When you’re building a start-up from the ground up, every person you bring on board really matters. With automation growing so fast – and lists like Microsoft’s showing which jobs are more likely to be replaced – founders like us need to think differently about hiring.

“Instead of just filling traditional roles, I believe it’s more important to find people who are curious, quick to learn, and open to wearing many hats. At SCORR Ltd., we look for team members who are excited about change, not afraid of it – people who can grow with us as technology evolves.

“Automation isn’t the enemy. It’s a tool. And in a start-up, the best people are those who know how to make the most of it while still bringing their own creativity and human touch to the table.”