We’ve just media launched a BearingPoint study of over 700 C-Suite level executives which found that the UK is emerging as an AI leader with more than a fifth (21%) of UK companies implementing AI technologies across their business, which is nearly double the global average (12%).

However, the report found that the UK’s Public Sector lags behind on adoption of AI (13%) despite the new government looking to explore future opportunities for growth with AI.  

The study, that was prominently featured in Management Today, also found that the Public Sector is the most reserved industry sector, with 54% of organisations having no AI implementation plans or only beginning to explore possibilities, and only 3% expecting AI to have a transformational impact in the next 5-10 years—the lowest rate across all industries surveyed.

BearingPoint also found that 80% of UK executives identify their top concern as data privacy and security, followed closely by the talent gap for skilled personnel (77%).  These concerns are consistent across leading UK industries such as Financial Services, Retail, and Automotive & Manufacturing.

Tony Farnfield, Partner and UK Lead from BearingPoint, said: “Despite these challenges, there are notable opportunities for growth in AI adoption in the UK. The Automotive & Manufacturing sector stands out in a cross-country comparison, with the highest rate of AI adoption in the UK among all countries surveyed, with almost a quarter of executives actively adopting AI technologies, surpassing Germany, and France. The Retail and CPG sector, while facing initial scepticism, is advancing significantly with almost a third of executives actively adopting AI, focusing on sustainability, customer experience, and market penetration.”