intelligent

EUROPE

The new research of over 7,000 senior decisionmakers and managers in 12 countries , including 2,500 from the UK , Germany , France and Netherlands , explores the sentiments , use and value of using AIenhanced tools in the workplace .

Seeing the value , but slow to adopt

UK business leaders estimate that using AI helps reduce their workloads by three hours and seven minutes in an average working week , with 11 % claiming AI saves them more than nine hours a week . Despite this , more than a third ( 37 %) of UK business leaders admitted they currently have no plans to integrate AI into the workplace – with 8 % even admitting they do not know if they currently used the tools .

According to senior decision-makers and managers across the UK , unclear AI regulation was the main obstacle holding them back from adopting AI tools , with the UK more concerned about regulatory clarity than any other region in the world . Business leaders in the UK were also the least likely to expect an instant return from AI , instead expecting a timeline of between one to two years before AI software would have enough business impact to prove its worth , suggesting UK business leaders expect a longer-term approach to AI tools .

Trust and adoption of AI

UK business leaders were also the most concerned about security and lack of testing with AI . Nonetheless , nearly two-thirds ( 65 %) of respondents either completely or mostly trusted AI to bring value to the business and 70 % said they would trust AI even more if a human review of its outputs was mandatory

– echoing global sentiments . Despite concerns about AI bias , four in 10 ( 44 %) business leaders in the UK actually trusted in AI ’ s ability to remove human bias .

Many uses for AI-enhanced tools

UK respondents shared that they mainly use AI-enhanced software applications for writing or creating content ( 43 %), data analysis ( 39 %) and researching / brainstorming ( 35 %). Forty-four percent feel their work is easier to complete with AI enhanced tools with 42 % suggesting they get more work done and over a third ( 37 %) claiming they are excited to use the new technology .

Skills shortages and job concerns persist

Despite nearly half ( 49 %) of business leaders and managers in the UK considering themselves knowledgeable or experts on AI – a lack of skills within teams was cited as one of the biggest obstacles to AI adoption by a fifth of respondents ( 23 %).

Nearly half ( 46 %) of UK business leaders fear that AI will end up replacing a large amount of the workforce in their field – a sentiment shared by global counterparts . Two-thirds ( 66 %) admitted they are looking for ways to grow their AI skillset to stay as marketable as possible . Despite these concerns , respondents understand the value people bring to the workplace . The majority ( 70.5 %) of UK respondents feel AI will never be able to completely replace human workers . �