2026年人工智能在职场应用调研报告：英国企业面临的不显性风险

Original researchfrom La FosseJanuary 2026 The reality of AI at workAbout this research methodologyAI is everywhere564AI infrastructure looks solid7Seniority drives AI usage (and risk)8AI adoption is deep9Senior leaders are the biggest AI risk-takers11The C-suite confidence gap12The workforce is anxious and divided13Why should you care?14What needs fixing (and where to start)17Conclusion22What you can do today23About La Fosse24Foreword3 From the boardroom, AI usage can appear well managed.Policies exist, strategies are signed off, and progress feelscontrolled.But,our research shows a different reality. AI is alreadyinfluencing criticaldecisions inside UKbusinesses, oftenwithout formaloversight or clearaccountability. AI adoption is widespread, yet readiness is unpredictable.The way AI is utilised, governed, and trusted varies The people with the greatest autonomy over AI are also theones most exposed to its risks. Senior leaders are morelikely to use AI for decision-making, more likely to bypass Concentrated at the top of organisations, the threat ismasked by confidence and speed, while gaps in At La Fosse, we work closely with organisations underpressure to move quickly and stay competitive, and weunderstand the enormous opportunity AI presents. We alsosee the consequences when ambition outpaces capability, This report explores what is really happening inside UKworkplaces, where the biggest hazards are emerging, andwhat leaders need to address now. The organisations that Ollie Whiting Chief Executive Officer, La Fosse The reality ofAI at work AI is woven into the dailyschedule of UK workplaces,shaping how people Employees embrace AI because it ispowerful, accessible, and often faster thanexisting processes. In many cases, AI hasboosted productivity. In others, it has To uncover the reality of AI adoption andreadiness in today’s workplace, and itseffects on people, work and culture, wesurveyed over 2,000 UK tech workers, of alllevels. Their experiences reveal where AI is About thisresearch The research wasconducted byCensuswideon behalf of La Fosse,among asample of 2,020employees in the UK Censuswideabides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code ofconduct and ESOMAR principles.Censuswideis also amember of the British Polling Council. Respondents span all seniority levels: C-suite executives:545 (27%), directors: 388 (19%), senior management: 550(27%), middle management: 304 (15%), intermediatelevel: 191 (9%), and entry level: >50 (2%). Please note We asked 21 questions across four key themes: AIadoption and readiness, risks and misuse, leadership The result is a current and comprehensive picture of AI State of the Nation:AI is everywhere (and everyone’s using it, all the time): AI usage is no longer occasional-92% ofUK tech workers now use AI at work.And, they aren’t just sporadic users.Nearly a quarter of the workforce (24%)spend more than half of their typicalday using AI tools and platforms. Tech workers admit to using AI toautomate repetitive tasks (39%) and utilise But, more interestingly, tech workers arealso using artificial intelligence forresearch and information gathering (46%),data analysis and visualisation (45%), and SPEND MORE THAN HALF THEIRTYPICAL DAY USING AI TOOLS AI Infrastructurelooks solid (until you look closer): On paper, UK businesses have highlyinvested in AI infrastructure: 94% saytheir company has provided guidelines However, the positive surface statisticshide a more significant story. Whilestrategies technically exist, employee 35% of current AI workplace guidelines aredescribed as "limited" or "unclear". Only36% of entry-level staff and 39% ofintermediate employees have actuallycompleted formal AI training. And, 37% of Even where AI policies exist, employees-including senior leaders–admit toroutinely using external tools outsideformal approval processes. This shadow AIuse means risk often develops outside the OF TECH WORKERS SAY THEIR AI Seniority drives AIusage (and risk): The more senior you are, the morelikely you are to use AI. In fact, 96% of C-suite executives use AI at work,setting the pace for the rest of thebusiness. Usage also remains high OF C-SUITE EXECUTIVES USE AI TOSUPPORT DECISION-MAKING, But, the way AI is used also changessignificantly with seniority. Senior leadersspend far more of their working day withAI tools. Both C-suite executives and Notably, over a third (35%) of C-suiteexecutives use AI to support decision-making, compared to just one in ten (10%)entry-level employees. As seniority AI adoption is deep(but uneven): AI is now a part of everyday work, but howit is used depends heavily on seniority. While75% of C-suite executives say comprehensive AI guidelines exist, only55% of entry-level staff and 48% ofintermediate employees agree. Formal AI AI use is almost guaranteed at the top oforganisations.Close to 100% of C-suiteexecutives now use AI at work, withadoption falli