'New territory' | 7 in 10 workers lack proper AI training - and admit they're 'experimenting'

The majority of British employees using artificial intelligence at work have never received formal training on it, new research has found, raising serious questions about productivity, accuracy and accountability as AI adoption accelerates across UK businesses.

The study, commissioned by The Access Group and conducted by YouGov, found that while 44% of employees polled are now using AI tools at work in some form, the way they are doing so reveals a deeply informal skills landscape. Among those using AI, nearly seven in ten (70%) say they are simply experimenting with tools in their daily work, yet fewer than one in five (19%) have actively taken any AI training or courses. A further 30% are learning through informal tip-sharing with colleagues, rather than structured development.

Business decision-makers are only marginally ahead. Across HR and business leaders surveyed, 68% are similarly in experimentation mode, with just 32% engaged in formal training, suggesting that the informal approach to AI skills is a cultural pattern.

Perhaps the most striking revelation is that employees are largely unaware of their own exposure. Despite the majority having received no formal AI education, just 3% cite lacking the skills to work with AI as their biggest workplace fear, pointing to a gap not just in capability, but in self-awareness. The risks of unchecked AI use including errors, misapplication, and accountability gaps are therefore largely invisible to those most exposed to them.