Raspberry Pi founder warns replacing people with AI could distort people's choices in ways that make that skill shortage worse and not better

Date:
Fri, 15 May 2026 11:35:00 +0000

Description:
Raspberry Pi boss says AI technology could put young people off tech jobs and hurt the economy

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Eben Upton says AI could put young people off tech jobs This could hurt the economy due to a shortage of engineers Some are overhyping the capabilities of AI tools and technology Raspberry Pi founder Eben Upton has warned AI is making people less likely to pursue tech jobs, and could therefore hurt the economy of the future.

Speaking to the BBC's Big Boss Interview podcast, Upton said that the technology could distort people's choices in ways that make that skill shortage worse and not better. Tech layoffs have surpassed 100,000 in 2026 so far , with many attributed to companies' usage of AI. Latest Videos From You may like MIT AI expert warns against automating Gen Z entry-level jobs Why cutting junior jobs is quietly deepening techs AI skills shortage OpenAI exec says AI 'doomers' are holding back incredible economic opportunities AI is putting people off tech jobs Upton added there is a level of overestimation
of what AI chatbots can do, adding that this could undo a lot of the good
work that's been done, not just by Raspberry Pi, but by a lot of other organisations.

Upton founded Raspberry Pi in 2012 in order to provide an engaging way for young people to get involved in computing and programming.

Those who have built a foundational level of understanding for a tech role during their education who would then expect to further their knowledge in a place of work have found that the positions they would typically apply for
are shrinking. The work that a decade ago would have been done by an entry level employee is instead handed off to an AI tool instead.

This in turn creates a self-feeding problem: how do you replace senior staff members that retire or move jobs if there isnt a pool of talent to pick from? Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Upton added his concern for parents worried about the direction their childrens education could take. 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, Upton added.

When asked if these problems could hurt the economy, Upton responded, Absolutely. We need a supply of engineers." Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/raspberry-pi-founder-warns-replacing-people-with -ai-could-distort-peoples-choices-in-ways-that-make-that-skill-shortage-worse- and-not-better


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