AI could put people off tech jobs and hurt the economy, warns Raspberry Pi boss

AI could put people off tech jobs and hurt the economy, warns Raspberry Pi boss

The founder of British computer maker Raspberry Pi has warned that overestimating the abilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) could put people off pursuing tech jobs and hurt the economy.

Eben Upton told the BBC's Big Boss Interview podcast this could "distort people's choices in ways that make that skill shortage worse and not better".

Some people are "very inclined to overestimate what these [AI] tools can do," he said, and warned against claims that it would destroy vast numbers of computing roles over the coming years.

The rise of tools such as ChatGPT and Claude have led to predictions of huge job losses, particularly for tech workers and graduates. Amazon, Meta and Microsoft have already blamed tens of thousands of layoffs on AI over the last year.

But some experts have suggested the technology is being used as a scapegoat for reducing headcount after a post-Covid hiring spree by many big corporates.

Overestimating chatbots' ability to replace people could "undo a lot of the good work that's been done, not just by Raspberry Pi, but by a lot of other organisations" in encouraging people into tech careers, Upton said.

He added: "It's possible to get caught up in this. This is the risk of damage right in this moment of incredible enthusiasm for what are genuinely incredible tools."

"You read in the paper: 'What guidance should you give your child about what GCSEs to choose in the context of an AI future?' We have no data to inform a rational decision on that.

"The answer is: wait five years, wait 10 years, and then maybe we might know something."

Asked if the phenomenon could damage economic growth, he added: "Absolutely. We need a supply of engineers."

Raspberry Pi's devices are the most widely sold computers by a UK firm and are popular with people who do programming as a hobby.

Upton founded the company in 2012 because he was concerned young people were no longer getting computing skills because mobile phones and games consoles were replacing devices that they easily programme.

Raspberry Pi floated on the London Stock Exchange in 2024 and has become a success story for the UK stock market amid a swathe of other firms snubbing it for a listing in the US, including Cambridge-based chip maker Arm.

Upton said that while the UK had "enormous" industrial capacity, he admitted that high energy costs are "a challenge" for firms.

Britain has had among highest energy costs of the G7 nations in recent years, which has proved damaging for businesses.

"About the only reason I wouldn't do engineering build objects in the UK is the high cost of energy, and we need to do something about that," Upton said. "We're extremely lucky we're not running a fertiliser factory or an oil refinery."

"The cost of energy in the home has an impact on your labour cost. You have to pay people enough money to live."