AI at work in 2026, in six numbers
How widely is AI used at work?
Very. Two-thirds of UK organisations with 50 or more employees (68%) use AI in some form, and it is their top investment priority. Read the adoption data.
Among B2B buyers, 77% used an AI tool during their last vendor search. Read the buyer data.
Among graduates, 55% have used it to write their CV. Read the graduate data.
Is that use deliberate?
Often not. In a quarter of UK organisations, the only AI use is individual employees using it informally. The tool arrived before the decision.
Is AI making work easier?
It is making work faster. Whether that is easier depends on who you ask.
56% of business leaders say AI has increased productivity. 63% of employees who use AI say they are now expected to complete more work, and 3% say less. Asked who should benefit from the time AI saves, 61% of employees say the employee. 9% of leaders agree. Read the workload data.
Do people trust it?
Not yet.
- Buyers: only 21% of those who use AI in vendor research fully trust its recommendations. It put the vendor on the shortlist in 12% of purchases.
- Leaders: 59% feel their organisation is more vulnerable than three years ago, rising to 71% where AI is embedded.
- Graduates: 66% are not confident they are building the AI skills their career will need, and 58% expect AI to cut graduate roles this year.
Used by most. Trusted by few
- Use
- Trust or confidence
View data
| Answer | % |
|---|---|
| B2B buyers: Used AI in vendor research | 77% |
| B2B buyers: Fully trust its recommendations | 21% |
| UK businesses: Use AI in some form | 68% |
| UK businesses: Prioritising investment in cyber security and resilience | 11% |
| Graduates: Used AI to write or edit their CV | 55% |
| Graduates: Confident they are building the AI skills they need | 34% |
Where do perception and reality come apart?
In hiring, most of all. 75% of graduates believe employers routinely use AI to screen CVs. 40% of hiring managers say they do. 58% of graduates expect AI to cut graduate jobs this year. About 8% of employers are cutting with AI as a major factor. Read the graduate hiring gap.
What this means
Adoption is no longer the question. The open questions are about terms: who decided to use it, who benefits from the time, who checks the output and who is being prepared for what comes next.
Each of those has a gap between the people deciding and the people affected. Leaders and employees disagree on who gets the time. Employers and graduates disagree on who is ready. Buyers use AI and then check it against people they trust.
If your organisation is making claims about AI, to staff, to customers or to candidates, test them with the audience first. In all four studies, the confident side had not asked.
Frequently asked questions
How many UK businesses use AI in 2026?
68% of UK organisations with 50 or more employees use AI in some form, according to The Reality Department's Business Reality Index.
Is AI increasing productivity?
56% of UK business leaders say it has. 63% of employees who use AI say they are now expected to complete more work.
Do people trust AI at work?
Trust is limited. Only 21% of B2B buyers who use AI in vendor research fully trust its recommendations.
Methodology
Figures come from four studies by The Reality Department in 2026: the Business Reality Index (500 senior UK decision-makers), the AI productivity poll (500 nationally representative UK consumers and 250 business leaders), the B2B Buyer Journey (250 UK buyers) and the AI & Graduate Hiring Study (250 UK hiring managers and 250 UK graduates). Fieldwork: August and October 2026.
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