New global research from Indeed shows that the UK is one of the stronger adopters of artificial intelligence in the workplace, but significant gaps in usage, training and perceived value risk creating a divided workforce.
The study draws on survey data from more than 80,000 workers across eight countries – the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, Germany, France, Australia, Canada and Japan – and reveals stark differences in how workers engage with AI at work.
UK performance in a global context
- 41% of UK workers say they use AI at work, placing the UK above France (39%) and well ahead of Japan (18%), but behind Ireland (70%), Australia (48%) and Germany (46%).
- Personal use of AI consistently exceeds professional use across all countries, with gaps ranging from 3 to 13 percentage points, suggesting many workers are experimenting independently rather than through their jobs.
- Countries with higher levels of employer encouragement show much stronger adoption. In Ireland, 37% of workers say their employer actively encourages AI use and 70% use AI at work, while in Japan just 12% report strong encouragement and only 18% use AI. The UK sits between these two extremes, with 41% of workers using AI at work.
A growing disengaged workforce
Despite relatively strong headline adoption, the research finds that more than a quarter (27%) of UK workers are disengaged from AI, meaning they do not use AI tools and do not believe they need training.
This disengagement is not evenly distributed:
- Older workers are more likely to fall into this group, with half of UK workers aged 55 and over disengaged, compared with 40% of those aged 18–24.
- Manual and production roles show the highest levels of disengagement in the UK, at 62%, compared with much lower rates in knowledge-based occupations such as professional services, technology and office-based roles, where disengagement is typically below 30%.
- Disengaged workers are also less likely to feel their workplace helps them thrive professionally or gives them a strong sense of purpose.
Globally, disengagement ranges from 16% of workers in Ireland to 40% in the United States, underlining that the challenge is widespread, not UK-specific.
Training gaps and uneven returns
The research also highlights a paradox around AI skills:
- AI users are more likely than non-users to say they are undertrained, suggesting that hands-on experience reveals how much more there is to learn.
- In countries with lower employer encouragement, such as Japan and France, over half of AI users say they lack adequate training.
- Even in the UK, many AI users report mixed results – one in five UK AI users say they save no time at all, the highest proportion among the countries surveyed.
By contrast, across all eight countries, 81–96% of AI users report saving at least one hour per day, with Ireland standing out – around half of Irish AI users say they save three hours or more each day.
How workers use time saved
Where AI does deliver benefits, UK workers are among the most likely to use the time productively:
- 45% of UK AI users say they take on additional tasks or projects, the highest share across the countries surveyed.
- Around a third use saved time to improve the quality or efficiency of their work, while others report benefits for learning, professional development and work-life balance.
Why it matters
Jack Kennedy, Senior Economist at Indeed, said: “UK workers are among the more active users of AI at work globally, and that is a strong position to be in as these tools become part of everyday jobs. The research shows that when AI is used well, it is already freeing up time for higher-value work, learning and better work-life balance.
“The opportunity now is about momentum. Employer encouragement and ongoing training make a clear difference to how confidently and effectively people use AI. With the right support, AI can help more workers do their jobs better and stay engaged as roles continue to evolve.
“The findings suggest that while the UK is relatively well positioned on AI adoption, access to training, quality of implementation and employer support will determine whether benefits are shared broadly or concentrated among a smaller group of workers.
“Without sustained investment in skills and encouragement, a large segment of the workforce risks being left behind as AI becomes more embedded in everyday work.”
About the research
The analysis is based on the 2025 Indeed Workforce Insights survey, conducted by YouGov in May and June 2025 among employed workers in the UK, Ireland, the United States, Germany, France, Australia, Canada and Japan, with a minimum of 10,000 respondents per country .
