A brand new ballot from Microsoft suggests that the majority UK staff at the moment are utilizing shopper AI instruments at work with out approval, elevating rising issues about information privateness and cybersecurity. In accordance with the analysis, 71 p.c of UK employees have used or tried unapproved “Shadow AI” instruments for work functions, with greater than half (51 p.c) doing so on a weekly foundation. These instruments are sometimes used for writing stories and displays, drafting communications, and even dealing with finance-related duties.
Regardless of the potential publicity of delicate firm or buyer information, solely 32 p.c of staff expressed concern in regards to the privateness of the knowledge they enter into such instruments, and simply 29 p.c apprehensive in regards to the impression on their organisation’s IT safety.
Microsoft warns that the widespread use of Shadow AI will increase the chance of knowledge leaks, regulatory breaches, and cyber-attacks. Many staff say they flip to shopper tech for his or her ease and familiarity, with 41 p.c utilizing them as a result of they already depend on them personally, and 28 p.c saying their employer doesn’t present an permitted various.
Darren Hardman, CEO of Microsoft UK & Eire, stated: “UK employees are embracing AI like by no means earlier than, unlocking new ranges of productiveness and creativity. However enthusiasm alone isn’t sufficient. Companies should make sure the instruments in use are constructed for the office, not simply the lounge.”
The analysis signifies that AI assistants at the moment are a routine a part of working life. Greater than half (58 p.c) of UK staff use them a minimum of weekly, and one in 5 (19 p.c) use them each day. Microsoft estimates that AI use is saving employees a median of seven.75 hours per week — equal to 12.1 billion hours, or £207 billion in productiveness beneficial properties throughout the UK financial system.
Employees report utilizing the time saved to enhance their work/life stability (37 p.c), develop new abilities (31 p.c) or concentrate on extra significant work (28 p.c). Adoption is commonest in IT, telecoms, gross sales, advertising and marketing, structure, engineering, and finance.
The findings additionally recommend that attitudes towards AI are shifting. Greater than half (57 p.c) of UK staff now describe their emotions about AI as optimistic, excited or assured — up from 34 p.c in January 2025. Fewer employees now say they “don’t know the place to start out” with AI, and extra imagine it’s an important a part of their organisation’s success technique.
Microsoft’s international Work Development Index stories comparable findings worldwide, with 82 p.c of enterprise leaders viewing 2025 as a turning level for AI technique and practically half already utilizing AI brokers to automate workflows. Staff at organisations furthest forward in AI adoption have been discovered to be practically twice as prone to say their enterprise is prospering.
