AI attitudes: A 12 month pulse check
A series of annual research reports from the World of Work Institute into worker attitudes towards AI
Hype versus reality
As AI adoption across all business sectors continues to accelerate, Henley Business School’s World of Work Institute is tracking UK employees' attitudes towards AI year-on-year. Through large-scale national surveys, our reports reveal and explore a critical emerging tension: growing optimism about AI’s potential versus continued feelings of overwhelm, uncertainty, and lack of support.
The 2025 and 2026 reports offer a comprehensive picture of how attitudes, behaviours and workplace expectations are evolving and what organisations must do to ensure AI adoption is both effective and sustainable.
58%
are optimistic about AI at work (2026)
61%
feel overwhelmed by the pace (2026)
28%
are cautious about AI use at work (2026)
An optimistic but ill-equipped UK workforce
Our 2026 survey of 2,900 full-time UK workers from 29 business sectors across the UK shows that 58% are optimistic about AI at work, compared to 56% in 2025. But despite this optimism, when it comes to keeping up with the pace of AI development, attitudes have remained static, with 61% of respondents still feeling overwhelmed.
This identifies a persistent gap between technological progress and workforce readiness.
42%
worry about dependency on AI tools (2026)
35%
worry about skill loss over time (2026)
28%
worry about errors and being able to identify them (2026)
From curiosity to caution: how behaviours are evolving
Reluctance to use AI could also be explained by the top three worker concerns in 2026:
- Dependence - nearly half (42%) worry about becoming overly dependent on it
- Losing skills - over a third (35%) worry about losing critical skills
- Inaccuracies - nearly a third (28%) worry about being able to identify errors and bias
Nearly two-thirds (63%) sometimes choose not to use AI tools in their role, even when available, perhaps due to these concerns.
For more data and insights download the reports, or to speak to one of our academic experts, email pr@henley.ac.uk.
Professor James Walker
Director, World of Work Institute
Pro-Dean of Academic Resources, Professor Walker is currently research flexible work practices and the impact of changing inequality in the last century. Prof Walker has written over 50 papers which were published in journals, as diverse as Research Policy and the Journal of Economic History.
Professor Keiichi Nakata
Director of AI, World of Work Institute
Professor Nakata is a Professor of Social Informatics, and his main research interests lie at the interface between technology and people. Recently he has been engaged in research into acceptance of pervasive systems, social media, and participatory systems.
Dr Rita Fontinha
Director of Flexible Work, World of Work Institute
An Associate Professor of Strategic HR Management, Dr Fontinha is a world leading researcher in flexible working practices, including the Four-Day working week. She has published several research articles in relevant journals including Research Policy and Human Resource Management.
Dr Melissa Carr
Director of EDI, World of Work Institute
Dr Carr is a Lecturer in International Human Resource Management with research interests including gender, work precarity and addressing workplace inequality. She is a Chartered Occupational Psychologist who started her career in consultancy working for a global business psychology provider.
Dr Naeema Pasha
Visiting Fellow, World of Work Institute
A leading voice in AI, diversity, careers and skilling, shaping the future of work with a focus on ethical and inclusive practices, Dr Pasha led The Equity Effect research at Henley, examining racial equity in UK businesses. She has also researched generational differences, change, resilience and caring in the workplace.