How AI Should Not Be Your Answer to the NI Increase—Don’t Do It! Love Your Humans...

There’s a challenge afoot in business right now, and it’s one many of us are facing head-on. Following the UK’s recent budget, clients across the board are asking, “How can we use AI to replace staff?” They’re searching for quick fixes to cut costs, sidestep the impending National Insurance (NI) hikes, and increase efficiencies. And as a founder of an AI company, my reaction is… well, WTF?

Sure, the budget has brought with it a new level of financial pressure. The recent NI increase, specifically, is putting a squeeze on employers in the UK; a cost that quickly adds up and eats into budgets already stretched thin. Couple this with rising corporate taxes, and companies are scrambling for solutions—fast. The answer? For many, they’re looking to AI and automation to fill in the gaps. But here’s the thing: AI isn’t a cure-all. It’s a tool. And, more importantly, it’s a tool that should work alongside people, not replace them.

At Brdge, we know this because building intelligent automation and AI solutions is exactly what we do. And while we’re proud of the r”obots” we build, we build them responsibly, and understand that with “robots” alone - we lose the value of original, creative individuals and nurturing an incredible culture amongst an organisation.

Let’s break down why replacing humans with AI isn’t the answer. Yes, AI can be used to automate repetitive tasks, handle data-heavy processes, and bring efficiencies to roles that are manual by nature. But if we think about AI only as a shortcut to cut staffing costs, we’re missing out on its true value: empowering our teams, helping them focus on higher-level work, and bringing meaning and creativity back into their roles. AI done right is about elevating your team, not erasing them.

But what does the NI increase mean for the average business, and why is it prompting this turn toward AI replacements? For context, the NIC rise will cost companies an additional 1.25% per employee, meaning that for every £10,000 spent on wages, employers now face an additional £125. While it may not sound like much initially, it’s a burden that adds up significantly across large teams. And when combined with the other tax pressures introduced in the budget, it’s enough to make companies re-evaluate their staffing strategies.

However, let’s not let financial pressure push us into making short-sighted decisions. Technology should be about building sustainable, resilient organizations. Replacing human roles with AI to avoid paying an NI increase is a misstep that could cost businesses dearly in the long run. When companies focus only on cutting costs, they sacrifice innovation, human creativity, and the unique value that people bring to a business. The NI increase may make automation attractive, but it doesn’t make it wise.

A responsible approach to AI—one that we believe in at Brdge—means using technology to complement people, enabling them to work smarter, not making them redundant. We help businesses explore what AI can do to support teams, take over repetitive tasks, and empower people to tackle meaningful work. The question we should be asking isn’t “How can we use AI to replace people?” but rather “How can we use AI to unlock people’s potential?”

The UK’s budget may have presented new challenges, but it’s also an opportunity to rethink how we approach technology in our businesses. AI shouldn’t be a quick fix to sidestep employee costs. It should be a strategic partner that lets your team focus on what they do best: create, connect, and drive value. Let’s not get so caught up in saving on NI that we overlook the bigger picture.

As business leaders, we have a responsibility to build companies that are strong, innovative, and resilient. That means resisting the temptation to use AI as a replacement for people simply to manage costs. Instead, let’s embrace AI as a tool that complements and strengthens our teams, an investment that yields long-term returns by boosting creativity, engagement, and team cohesion.

So, to everyone feeling the impact of the recent NI increase, here’s my advice: don’t let robots tempt you into trading out your people. Your team is your greatest asset, and AI should work for them, not the other way around. Let’s stay focused on building businesses where technology and talent thrive together, where our robots serve to amplify human creativity, and where every AI investment is an investment in your people. At Brdge, we’re here to help companies achieve exactly that. AI is a powerful tool, but it’s best used to support, not supplant, the incredible work that only humans can do.

We’re all in this together, and we all have a job to do—let’s make sure we’re doing it right.