A brand new survey from EY means that many UK organisations are failing to grasp the complete productiveness advantages of synthetic intelligence (AI) as a result of their expertise methods should not protecting tempo with expertise adoption. The EY 2025 Work Reimagined Survey, primarily based on responses from 800 UK staff and 180 employers, discovered that whereas the usage of generative AI at work is now widespread, it’s hardly ever being utilized in ways in which basically change how folks work. Greater than 4 in 5 staff mentioned they use GenAI instruments, however that is largely restricted to routine actions similar to trying to find info or summarising content material.
The analysis signifies that this slim use of AI is one purpose productiveness positive aspects stay restricted. Though 62 % of staff reported that their workload has elevated over the previous 12 months, fewer than 5 % mentioned they have been utilizing GenAI in additional superior ways in which may considerably reshape processes or roles. EY estimates that organisations with weak approaches to coaching, tradition and rewards are lacking out on greater than 40 % of potential AI-related productiveness positive aspects.
Considerations in regards to the impression of AI on abilities are additionally evident. Greater than two in 5 staff mentioned they fear that overreliance on AI may erode their experience, reflecting unease about how new instruments are being launched and ruled. Lower than half of staff mentioned their organisation has a transparent imaginative and prescient for a way AI ought to be used, and solely 11 % reported receiving satisfactory coaching.
This lack of readability and functionality seems to be contributing to the expansion of so-called shadow AI. Practically a 3rd of staff mentioned they use their very own AI instruments at work, exterior formally authorised programs, regardless of many employers making an attempt to roll out inner platforms.
EY’s evaluation means that expertise funding alone is inadequate. Organisations that mix AI adoption with sturdy studying alternatives, supportive tradition, consideration to worker wellbeing and aligned reward constructions carry out considerably higher. The agency refers to this built-in strategy as attaining a “Expertise Benefit”, but solely 37 % of UK employers are at present on monitor to succeed in this place.
The survey additionally highlights a stress between upskilling and retention. Staff who obtain intensive AI coaching, outlined as greater than 81 hours a 12 months, reported substantial productiveness positive aspects, averaging an additional 14 productive hours per week. Nevertheless, these identical staff have been way more prone to take into account leaving, reflecting sturdy exterior demand for AI abilities and restricted inner development alternatives.
Regardless of these challenges, general worker sentiment seems to be enhancing. The proportion of UK staff contemplating leaving their jobs has fallen to 30 %, the bottom degree since 2022, when resignation intentions peaked throughout the so-called Nice Resignation.
The findings level to a rising hole between the provision of AI instruments and organisations’ means to combine them successfully into on a regular basis work, with human components rising as a important constraint on realising their promised advantages.
