'Give people the right tools' | Employees embrace 'shadow AI' use while firms lag on training, report warns

Six in ten UK businesses (60%) say their employees have not completed comprehensive AI training, despite investment in the technology set to rise by 40% over the next two years.

According to research from SAP - The Value of AI in the UK: Growth, People & Data report, produced in partnership with Oxford Economics - while the average UK business is already generating around £2.7 million in returns from AI, many organisations are not equipping employees with the skills, confidence and guidance needed to use the technology responsibly.

The gap in training may be fuelling the rise of so-called ‘shadow AI’, with 68% of organisations reporting that staff use unapproved AI tools at least occasionally as part of their day-to-day work. While seven-in-ten businesses have begun reskilling or upskilling staff to help close the emerging AI skills gap, progress is falling behind current rates of adoption.

Katie King, Published Author & CEO of AI in Business said: “Shadow AI isn’t a sign of resistance, but a sign of enthusiasm. Employees are hungry to use these tools, but this eagerness is seeing some move faster than their organisations can support them. This energy is a huge opportunity for UK businesses, if it’s guided in the right way.