Tom Slater warned that overreliance on AI could erode the skills workers need to build real expertise. Samyukta Lakshmi/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Tom Slater said AI could hollow out the next generation of skilled workers by eroding their skills.

The investor said workers still need struggle and repetition to build expertise.

Slater warned short-term AI productivity gains may create long-term skill erosion.

AI may make young workers faster and more productive, while also quietly stopping them from becoming experts at all.

That's the warning from Tom Slater, the manager of Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust and a partner at Baillie Gifford, who said that companies embracing AI too aggressively risk hollowing out the pipeline that trains future professionals.

Speaking on the "Merryn Talks Money" podcast on Monday, Slater said that unless we invest in the next generation and ensure that they learn foundational and analytical skills, businesses could end up with workers who know how to use AI tools but…