AI may transform or replace 70% of white-collar jobs

Forget the robots in factories, AI is coming for the spreadsheet warriors, project leads, and marketing strategists next. A new report by the UK’s Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) reveals that up to 70% of tasks in white-collar jobs are now susceptible to AI transformation. The message? AI isn’t creeping in, it’s kicking the front door open in professional services.

👉 Today’s Issue:

• Where AI is reshaping white-collar work fastest

• Why policy needs to move beyond adoption and safety

• What operators and executives can do right now

AI News

➔ Featured Story

🤖White-Collar Jobs Are Increasingly Being Exposed to AI
^{TechRadar (Feb 2025)}

The IPPR report analyzed over 22,000 tasks across administrative, marketing, and project management roles their conclusion: most of these knowledge-based jobs are now on the front lines of AI transformation. But it’s not all doom. While AI can automate many tasks, the most significant opportunity lies in augmentation, boosting human decision-making, reducing manual steps, and unlocking efficiency.


Key Points:

• Up to 70% of white-collar tasks are “highly susceptible” to AI
  

• Repetitive and analytical functions are most at risk for automation.
  

• Project coordination, admin support, and reporting are key exposure zones.
  

• Current AI policy is focused on adoption and safety, but lacks direction for labour impact.
  

• IPPR calls for workforce-oriented AI policy and business adaptation strategie
  
  

Why It Matters: This is a wake-up call for knowledge economy leaders. Unlike past waves of automation, which hit blue-collar jobs first, AI is now accelerating through the white-collar stack. The risk isn’t just job loss; it’s organizational obsolescence for teams that fail to adapt. The good news? Augmentation strategies where AI tools streamline work instead of replacing it are winning. But only if leaders act. Businesses that upskill, integrate AI responsibly, and reshape workflows will gain a multi-year advantage. The challenge isn’t just tech, it’s talent, timing, and training.

➔ Other Notable AI News

• McKinsey Launches AI Workforce Heatmap Tool
  An interactive dashboard shows job exposure by role and industry.
  👉 McKinsey Insights

• UK Government Proposes AI-Reskilling Tax Credits
  Policy aims to incentivise mid-career upskilling in AI-heavy sectors.
  👉 BBC News

• Anthropic Releases Claude Team Templates for White-Collar Ops
  Ready-to-use prompts for analysts, marketers, and coordinators
  👉 Anthropic Blog

That's it for today!

Before you go we’d love to know what you thought of today's newsletter to help us improve The The Leader’s Leverage experience for you.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Awesome 

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Average

⭐️ Awful

See you soon,

James Brooks—The Leader’s Leverage editorial team