Only a fifth of UK enterprises have adopted AI into their businesses

The data suggests that more needs to be done to turn the dial on attitudes to AI, as it seems that IT decision-makers are either unsure of how to implement AI or are unconvinced by its potential.

In partnership with polling experts YouGov, ANS surveyed IT decision-makers across 240 mid-sized enterprises with 250 to 999 employees, to understand how access to technology impacts UK businesses for its inaugural Business Blockers report.

When asked to describe their attitudes to AI, a heartening 26% of mid-sized enterprises said they were exploring how to use it given the exciting opportunities it presents. 39% of mid-sized enterprises agreed, however, they weren’t sure it was for them yet.

Staggeringly, 18% of IT decision-makers said AI is all hype and that it won’t affect their businesses in the near future. 18% also expressed fears about AI and what it could mean for the future of their business.

However, hesitancy around AI is particularly jarring given it is a readily accessible technology and the potential value it can add to businesses. For instance, Microsoft recently revealed the positive impact Copilot has had on major customers. For instance, customer service agents at Teladoc save up to five hours each week using Copilot to draft responses to common client questions. Marketers at Finastra use it to go from content ideation to production 75 percent faster. On average, Copilot users at Honeywell saved 92 minutes per week using Microsoft 365 Copilot, the equivalent of 74 hours over a full year of use.²

Kyle Hill, CTO at ANS said of the report’s findings: “Now is an exciting time for businesses, with emerging technologies like AI changing the way we work across the board.

“However, we are seeing that swathes of businesses are not seizing the opportunities AI has to offer, and we urge all enterprises to improve their AI readiness. All businesses can adopt AI into their operations, with administrative platforms like Microsoft Copilot often proving to be a good place to start.

“And if any business is struggling with where to start to make their business operations more efficient and streamlined, digital transformation experts are on hand to recommend and implement the best solutions to fit business needs.”

As well as exploring the attitudes of UK mid-sized enterprises to AI, the Business Blockers report also surveyed attitudes towards cyber security, low code, and the barriers holding back business growth in the UK.