The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced that Baroness Martha Lane‑Fox has been appointed Chair of the new London AI and Jobs Taskforce, a body that will help shape how artificial intelligence transforms work and opportunity across the capital.
The appointment was confirmed today at the Bloomberg CityLab Summit in Madrid, an international forum bringing together mayors and city leaders to address shared challenges and the role of cities in shaping the future.
The Mayor has made clear his ambition for London to be at the forefront of harnessing the positive potential of AI, while ensuring it benefits society rather than shaping jobs and livelihoods in harmful or unequal ways.
The new taskforce will bring together expertise from government, business, trade unions, the skills sector, and the AI industry, providing a rounded view of how AI is already impacting work in London and where future risks and opportunities lie.
Alongside the taskforce, the Mayor will roll out online AI training later this year, helping Londoners upskill and access new, higher‑paid roles as the labour market evolves.
The London AI and Jobs Taskforce will examine how AI is reshaping work across the capital, focusing on both immediate and near‑term impacts.
It will:
- Identify the most significant risks and opportunities for workers and employers
- Advise on practical actions to strengthen skills and career pathways
- Consider who is being left behind by technological change and why
- Recommend short‑term interventions that can make a real difference now
The work will build on the Mayor’s wider efforts to promote inclusive economic growth and protect London’s diverse workforce.
Baroness Lane‑Fox is one of the UK’s most prominent technology entrepreneurs and digital leaders. She is best known for co‑founding lastminute.com in 1998 and has been at the forefront of the digital revolution ever since. Commenting on her new role, Baroness Lane-Fox said:
“London has always thrived by combining creativity, openness, and reinvention. AI is bringing incredible opportunities, but also real disruption. This taskforce will look at where work is changing now, where London should lean in with more ambition, and how we make sure the benefits are shared more widely rather than felt only by those already ahead.”
A strong advocate of ethical and inclusive approaches to AI, she has consistently argued that access to technology must go hand‑in‑hand with access to the skills needed to build, adapt, and govern emerging tools.
As a former UK Digital Champion, she played a key role in creating gov.uk and has long championed diversity in tech, calling for under‑represented groups to help shape future AI policy and development.
Also confirmed as members of the London AI and Jobs Taskforce are leaders from across technology, academia, finance, and the labour movement.
The Deputy Chair will be Anna Thomas MBE, co‑founder of the Institute for the Future of Work, who advises government, the TUC, and global bodies on AI governance with a focus on equality and fairness.
Other members include Professor John Amaechi OBE, organisational psychologist and leadership expert; Angie Ma, co‑founder of applied AI company Faculty; Caroline Al‑Beyerty, Chamberlain and CFO of the City of London Corporation; Gaia Marcus, Director of the Ada Lovelace Institute; Adam Cantwell‑Corn, AI and tech policy lead at the TUC; and Sara Gorton, Regional Secretary of UNISON in London.
Together, the group brings insight from workforce psychology, ethical AI, public finance, union representation and applied artificial intelligence.
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, added:
“Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping our economy and society. It presents real opportunities – from driving economic growth to improving public services – but also brings with it new challenges, including the potential impact on London’s labour market.
“My approach to AI is rooted in realism – being clear-eyed and pragmatic about the potential perils, while also being alert to – and enthusiastic about – the amazing possibilities.
“It’s why today, I am pleased to confirm that tech trailblazer Baroness Martha Lane-Fox will chair my new London AI, Jobs, and Opportunity Taskforce.
“The Taskforce will recommend action to support Londoners to acquire the skills they’ll need for the future. It will also ensure we’re seizing the opportunities of AI to boost productivity, improve public services, and create new, high-quality jobs for our communities as part of my work to build a fairer, safer, and more prosperous London for everyone.”
The taskforce builds on the Mayor’s Inclusive Talent Strategy, launched with London Councils last year.
The strategy aims to ensure Londoners, regardless of background, have access to the skills needed to benefit from new technologies, close skills gaps, and secure good jobs with long‑term prospects.
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