How AI Is Shaping the Isle of Man Job Market?

As AI and automation continue to reshape industries globally, we decided to take a closer look at job trends on the Isle of Man to identify potential challenges and opportunities. Using data from the Isle of Man Job Centre, we analysed how AI might affect the local workforce. While there are limitations to this study – like any analysis relying on publicly available data – the insights we gathered can help start important conversations about the future of work on the island.

Our findings show that over 60% of current job vacancies on the Isle of Man are at risk of being automated within the next decade. In the UK – Finance and Insurance has the highest AIOE (AI Occupational Exposure) score, which a sector integral to the Isle of Man economy. There are also real opportunities with productivity gains. This isn’t meant to be a definitive forecast but a glimpse into trends that businesses and policymakers should consider to stay ahead. This article will share key insights, what they mean for the island, and how you can prepare your organisation for these changes.

What We Learned: Key Findings

Our research shows a few clear trends:

High Automation Risk: More than 60% of the roles advertised are susceptible to automation. Positions in sectors like retail, administrative services, and manufacturing are particularly vulnerable. Just because a role is susceptible, does not mean it cannot be augmented or enhanced with technology.

Productivity Gains: AI can enhance productivity significantly, with at least a 20% boost expected for 44% of the roles listed. That means fewer repetitive tasks and more time for strategic thinking.

Skill Requirements: There’s an increasing need for moderate to advanced digital skills, highlighting a gap that needs to be filled to prepare the workforce for AI-integrated roles.

Industry Exposure: The UK has established that Finance and Insurance, ICT, and Public Administration are more exposed than any other sectors. Industries least impacted are agriculture, motor trades, forestry, fishing and construction.

Data & Forecasts: LLMs (such as Gemini and GPT) have a similar outlook when it comes to the risks/opportunities with automation and AI. Some of the published UK data is old (i.e. 2019), but largely aligns with analysis of LLMs. Every sector, and every nation has unique characteristics – but overall, the trend is clear.

AI exposure and LLM exposure: With the advents of LLMs (which post-date much of the automation modelling), forecasts now exist for the impact of AI/Automation, and the impact of LLMs. For example, Telesales is significantly exposed to LLMs, while Accountants are exposed to AI Applications. Our insights do not draw this distinction.

AI and Workforce Insights from Isle of Man Job Listings

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Industry Exposure – aIOE (AI Occupational Exposure) Scoring

The Isle of Man finance & insurance sector is more exposed to AI than any other sector. This sector features a large number of finance and clerical roles which have high AIOE scores. There are other sectors that are highly exposed to AI: information & communication; professional, scientific & technical; property; public administration; and education.

See The impact of AI on UK jobs and training

aioe — The industry estimate of exposure to AI is constructed by taking a weighted average of the AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) scores across occupations within an industry. This provides an average AIOE score for each industry.
(Source: The impact of AI on UK jobs and training)

Taking Action: Preparing for the AI Revolution

Given that more than half of the current job market faces automation risks, and with our highest GDP sectors disproportionally impacted, businesses need to think proactively about upskilling their teams. For example:

Invest in Training: Encourage your staff to learn digital skills that will help them adapt to AI-enhanced roles. This could be as simple as offering courses on basic coding or data analysis.

Adopt AI Thoughtfully: Instead of fearing automation, think of how AI could make your organisation more efficient. For example, AI tools can help automate data entry, streamline compliance tasks, or even suggest personalised marketing campaigns.

Engage in Collaboration: Consider partnerships with local government initiatives and training providers. Digital Isle of Man’s ‘Activate AI’ programme is one example of how organisations can work together to support the future of work on the island.

Skills-based economic growth: Instead of focusing primarily on sector-specific economic activities, the Isle of Man could transition to a skill-based economic growth strategy. This approach emphasises the development of essential skills within the workforce, fostering sustainable economic development, adaptability, and resilience against automation and technological advancements.

These findings echo trends seen in other regions, like the UK, where similar studies by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) have shown a clear need for upskilling to keep pace with automation. Businesses and educational institutions on the Isle of Man have an opportunity to adapt by fostering new skillsets that will thrive in an AI-enhanced future. (Note: The Isle of Man has already begun developing AI in the Isle of Man).

A Broader Perspective

Globally, workforce changes driven by AI are prompting businesses to rethink their strategies. Many countries have taken a pro-active stance towards automation, something the Isle of Man has begun with its own AI programme. Studies from the ONS suggest that roles requiring advanced digital skills are less likely to be automated (but not immune). Therefore, a focus on developing these skills could serve as a safeguard against job loss while driving economic growth.

We plan to continue sharing insights on how technological trends affect the Isle of Man economy. Stay tuned for our next topic, which will be the Isle of Man Internet Landscape. Meanwhile, you can download the infographic we’ve compiled, which visualises key data points from our study.

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AI and Workforce Insights from Isle of Man Job Listings Download

Caveats

The data from the Isle of Man Job Centre can be quite limited, which is why we used a range of custom tools to map SOC codes and compared the findings to UK data (ONS 2019, IIPR 2024). We also employed large language models (LLMs) to help validate some of our insights. However, it’s important to note that this analysis isn’t definitive but rather a starting point for further exploration and discussion.