Amidst fears over the potential disruptive effects of AI on jobs, our latest polling of full- and part-time workers found just a third (33%) think their organisation is primed to take advantage of the technology, with a further 27% considering that some progress has been made and another 27% reporting no progress, deeming their organisation not ready to take advantage of AI at all. 

However, this split is not spread out evenly amongst the population. Significant disparities include:

– 58% of those in the tech, media, and communications sectors foresee advantages to their organisation thanks to AI, whilst only 24% in the retail, hospitality, or services industries feel the same (with 37% not considering their organisation ready)

– 51% of 25-34 year olds indicate that their organisation is ready to take advantage of AI, compared to only 17% of 55-64 year olds (38% of which do not consider their organisation to be ready)

– 50% of Londoners note that their organisation is ready, contrasting with only 23% of Scots (43% of whom do not think they’re ready)

Whether one sees AI as presenting opportunities their organisation can take advantage of is perhaps best explained by whether or not their organisation has shared a clear strategy or plan for its future deployment of the technology, with 36% reporting that their organisation has one in place whilst 51% do not. Here, it is particularly significant that 70% of those in tech, media, or communications note that their organisation has shared such a strategy, whilst only 22% of those in retail, hospitality, or services do.

The gulf between those organisations that have shared an AI strategy with their workers and those that have not is likely influenced by how much they use AI already, but also simply how much the topic is discussed. Whilst 57% of the workforce’s employers have adopted AI either in some areas or widely, in the case of tech, media, and communications this figure is 82%. Similarly, though 61% of workers have discussed AI frequently or occasionally in their workplace over the past 12 months, this rises to 92% in tech, media, and communications.

There is a clear call to action here. Whatever sector your organisation occupies, wherever it is based, however young or old your workforce, if you actively engage with AI, consider how your organisation is going to adapt to these technologies, and clearly communicate a vision, your employees are more likely to feel optimistic about their future. 

Such an approach could be what tips the balance, as the working population is not negatively predisposed to the use of AI in the workplace – a plurality have positive feelings in fact (34%), closely followed by those with mixed feelings (32%). Only 14% have mostly negative feelings about the technology. 

Again, the dividing lines described above (whether regarding sector, age, or region) hold true here as well: a whopping 64% of those in tech, media, or communications feel positive about AI in the workplace, with only 8% expressing pessimism.

Proactive engagement with AI technologies, along with careful consideration and communication of how your organisation will optimise its use going forward can, therefore, go a long way in ensuring your workforce isn’t despairing about its future use.

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GET THE DATA.

Survation conducted an online poll of 1,234 workers aged 18+ in the UK on their views on AI in the workplace. Fieldwork was conducted between 25th – 26th June 2025. Tables are available here.

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