One in five UK employees are now using AI everyday at work but 44% report a heavier workload

• Almost one in five (19%) UK workers are now using AI daily 

• More than half (56%) of UK workers have used AI at work in the past 12 months but still behind the global average of 64%

• AI users report better work but not less of it: 70% report better quality output of work, 58% say they add more value to their employer but 44% report heavier workload

AI adoption is rising across UK workplaces but remains concentrated among senior employees, according to PwC UK’s Hopes and Fears Survey. The annual workforce survey tracks the sentiment of the global workforce, with 2,023 UK workers included in the study.  

In the UK, the proportion of workers who report using AI in their daily work has risen from 15% in 2025 to 19%. Overall, 56% of UK workers used AI at work in the past year, up from 52% in 2025 and 47% in 2024, but still below the global average of 64%.

AI use at work rises sharply with seniority, with 85% of UK senior executives and 73% of managers having used it, compared with 35% of non-managers. Adoption among UK non-managers has increased by the most considerable leap over the past year (from 24% in 2025 to 35% in 2026), indicating broader uptake across organisations. However, their adoption rate remains 15 percentage points below the 50% global average for non-managers.

Quality work, but more of it

Workers who use AI report real gains - 63% say it allows them to use more of their skills, 58% say it increases the value they bring to their employer and 70% say it has improved the quality of their work. 

However, greater use of AI does not automatically mean an easier workload or job for employees. Almost half (45%) of UK AI users say the complexity of their role has increased, while 44% report an increase in their workload. 

Claire Reid, Chief Innovation and Technology Officer at PwC UK, said:

“As people see AI improving the quality and value of their work, the opportunity is to move beyond simply using the technology more often and rethink how work gets done. That means using AI to take on the right tasks, freeing people to focus their time and skills where they can add the most value. The real prize isn’t just doing more work; it’s redesigning work so that people and AI together can deliver better outcomes.”

UK workers' sentiment towards AI

UK workers are markedly more positive than negative about increasing AI use in their jobs, with 70% saying they feel confident versus 18% fearful, 72% feel energised versus 13% exhausted, and 72% feel empowered versus 16% powerless.

Again, optimism tracks seniority. Around seven in ten (69%) UK senior executives feel confident, empowered or energised about increasing AI use – nine to thirteen percentage points ahead of senior executives globally. Meanwhile. around three in ten (28%) UK non-managers say they feel confident in their AI use compared with 36% globally.

There are also concerns from UK employees on where AI can enhance their working day. Some 16% of UK workers fear negative consequences if they experiment with AI, while 13% of workers state their employer limits access to tools. The same proportion (13%) also stating they are confused about their company's policy on AI usage in the workplace.  Meanwhile, 12% of workers also report that they require more training or skills to effectively use AI in the workplace.

Claire Reid, added:

“Access to the technology isn’t enough. Organisations need to rethink work around the right problems, give people the skills and confidence to use AI well, and put the right safeguards around it. Get that combination right and AI becomes less something that is happening to people, and more something they can use to create real value."