The UK economy is facing tough workforce decisions, but management holds firm that the value of AI still depends – and will continue to depend – on keeping people at the centre of how work gets done. Many emphasise that AI should open space for new specialist roles and build on existing capability.
For UK organisations, the debate is no longer about whether to use AI. 95% of UK directors use AI at work, 80% use it daily, and 70% consider themselves advanced or expert users. The focus has shifted to the quality of that use: how tools connect, how reliable they are, how teams build capability, and where automation sits in everyday workflows. With national policy pushing for AI-driven productivity gains, directors are clear that the priority is no longer to “try” AI, but to design how their business – and importantly, their people – run with it.
UK businesses are scaling AI without leaving their workforce behind
Inside UK organisations, AI is increasingly being run with intention. Over half of UK directors (52%) say AI is significantly embedded in their company’s overarching mission, and almost four in ten (39%) report having a dedicated AI or innovation team driving its rollout.
And the capability gap isn’t where many expect it to be. 82% of UK directors believe employees are largely receptive to AI, and 70% say these individuals are clearly proficient in using it. Confidence in themselves is stronger still: 95% feel able to turn their company’s AI vision into actionable work, with 70% describing themselves as advanced or expert AI users. That level of proficiency across the board appears to be translating into returns, with just over half of UK directors (51%) saying AI has delivered new revenue or new revenue streams this year.
With that level of capability now in place, directors are shifting their focus to where AI can really move the dial. This is shaped by both daily workload reality and the need to gain future competitive advantage. They point first to the basics: 60% want teams to use AI to make processes faster and more efficient, and 55% to improve the accuracy and quality they’re increasingly expected to deliver. Ambition is rising too, with 52% saying the push to go bigger – developing new AI products or services – is shaping their company’s adoption plans next year.
AI agents are operating like part of the workforce
79% of UK directors are already familiar with the “digital workforce” concept, and 93% say it is important that their organisation uses AI agents to automate tasks and workflows. Taking this one step further, they increasingly expect agents to handle end-to-end chains of activity.
This is most pronounced in areas under the greatest productivity pressure, including data analysis and reporting (24% cite this as a valuable use case for AI agents) and project coordination (20%). Instead of one agent completing one task, leaders anticipate groups of specialised agents passing work between each other across existing tools.
Again, this should not be viewed as a shift away from people. Directors expect agents to absorb the predictable layers of activity, opening up time for direction, innovation, and judgment. And as agent systems mature, teams will take on new responsibilities: maintaining, refining, and training agents to meet the standards their organisations expect.
UK directors expect increasing AI gains – if tools improve integration
Now that AI is firmly in use, UK directors say stronger, more connected tools will unlock the next phase of productivity. Many leaders currently mix approved and unapproved tools – 56% admit to using both – and the same proportion frequently move between multiple AI platforms to get work done. This creates friction – and directors say systems must catch up.
The top barriers to wider use reflect this. Directors point first to data privacy and security concerns (43% cite this as a preventive for using AI), followed by doubts about the reliability or accuracy of outputs (34%), and the complexity created by tool-sprawl (27%). Policy is playing catch up too, with just 42% saying their organisation has fully established AI guidelines in place, particularly around security and data handling. It’s no surprise, then, that despite high usage, only a quarter (25%) completely trust the AI tools they use today.
To regain control over accuracy, security, and integration, 48% of UK directors say their organisation is exploring embedded AI tools that connect more seamlessly across their workflows. Confidence in this direction is strong: 90% believe that, with the right, joined-up tools in place, their team’s performance will rise significantly over the next 12 months.
Ben Barnett, Regional Vice President, UK&I at monday.com, comments: “The UK market is past the experimentation stage – leaders are using AI with intent. What stands out is the confidence: directors feel equipped, teams are receptive, and capability is rising fast. But the real shift is in mindset. UK directors say the question isn’t about replacing people, but about how AI can help them do more of what matters. The next step is clear: expectations are rising, and AI will need to meet a higher standard to support the ambition and talent already driving the UK forward.”
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