Unapproved AI tools boom in UK workplaces
UK workers embrace familiar AI apps for emails and reports, yet 28% lack approved workplace alternatives.
Microsoft research reveals 71% of UK employees use unapproved AI tools at work, with 51% doing so weekly, raising concerns about data privacy and cybersecurity risks. Organisations face heightened risks to data privacy and cybersecurity as sensitive information enters unregulated platforms.
Despite these dangers, awareness remains low, as only 32% express concern over data privacy and 29% over IT system vulnerabilities.
Workers favour Shadow AI for its simplicity, with 41% citing familiarity from personal use and 28% noting the absence of approved alternatives at their firms. Common applications include drafting communications (49%), creating reports or presentations (40%), and handling finance tasks (22%).
Generative AI assistants now permeate the workforce, saving an average of 7.75 hours weekly per user- equivalent to 12.1 billion hours annually across the economy, valued at £208 billion.
Sector leaders in IT, telecoms, sales, media, marketing, architecture, engineering, and finance report the highest adoption rates. Employees plan to redirect saved time towards better work-life balance (37%), skill development (31%), and more fulfilling tasks (28%).
Darren Hardman, CEO of Microsoft UK and Ireland, urges businesses to prioritise enterprise-grade tools that blend productivity with robust safeguards.
Optimism about AI has climbed, with 57% of staff feeling excited or confident- up from 34% in January 2025. Familiarity grows too, as confusion over starting points drops from 44% to 36%, and clarity on organisational AI strategies rises from 24% to 43%.
Frontier firms leading in adoption see twice the thriving rates, aligning with global trends where 82% of leaders deem 2025 pivotal for AI.
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