Raspberry Pi Boss Warns AI Could Put People Off Tech Careers
The founder of Raspberry Pi says AI risks discouraging young people from learning technical skills — echoing a concern that matters for every UK business trying to hire digitally capable staff.
Eben Upton, founder of Raspberry Pi — the most widely sold computer made by a UK company — has warned that AI could put young people off pursuing careers in technology.
Upton founded the company specifically to address a skills gap: young people were losing the hands-on computing ability they'd need for tech roles. Now he fears AI may create the same problem all over again — by making it too easy to generate code without understanding it.
He also flagged high UK energy costs as a challenge for hardware businesses, though said Raspberry Pi was well-positioned given its low energy requirements.
What this means for small businesses: The tech talent pipeline matters to you even if you're not a tech firm. If fewer people develop real digital skills because AI does it for them, hiring becomes harder and more expensive in the years ahead.
The smarter play: use AI to amplify your team's skills, not to replace the learning process. Businesses that build genuine AI literacy internally — rather than just plugging in tools — will have a durable advantage.
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