Employees aren’t hiding their AI use to cut corners. They’re hiding it because they’re afraid

by • AI, Comment

It doesn’t address why employees feel they need to hide AI use in the first place, and it risks making things worse. There’s a double bind facing employees when it comes to artificial intelligence. They’re expected to use it to be more productive, yet judged on how they do so.  Recent Deloitte research found that nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of the UK workforce has now used generative AI, a third of those users do so without their employer’s knowledge, and one in ten have used an AI tool that their employer has banned or would disapprove of. Separate Deloitte figures found show that one in six are even paying for AI tools they use at work out of their own pocket. (more…)

AI skills divide risks leaving majority of workers behind, PwC finds

by • AI, News

A widening divide between workers who are benefiting from artificial intelligence and those being left behind is emerging as AI use acceleratesA widening divide between workers who are benefiting from artificial intelligence and those being left behind is emerging as AI use accelerates, according to a global study by PwC. The consultancy’s 2026 Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey found that 64 percent of workers had used AI at work during the previous 12 months, up 10 percentage points from last year. Daily use of generative AI increased from 14 percent to 22 percent, while 59 percent expect their use of AI tools to increase over the coming year. (more…)

Children are much more comfortable about the idea of working with robots

by • AI, News

A new poll from measurement tech firm Hexagon suggests that younger people have very different ideas to older generations about the idea of working with robots.A new poll from measurement tech firm Hexagon suggests that younger people have very different ideas to older generations about the idea of working with robots. According to the report, across nine countries, children are growing up with fundamentally different expectations of robotics than today’s adults, shaped by growing up with AI and new experiences of intelligent technology. Four in five children (80 percent) say they are excited about robots, compared with 59 percent of adults. However, that generation gap varies dramatically around the world. (more…)

The AI utilisation gap: why employees use AI more deeply at home than at work

by • AI, Comment

While AI is becoming embedded in how people search, learn, create and organise their personal lives, its use at work remains comparatively limitedArtificial intelligence has crossed an important threshold. For most people, it is no longer a technology they are experimenting with occasionally; it is increasingly becoming part of everyday life. According to the 2026 annual WIN World AI Index, based on approximately 40,000 respondents across 44 countries, global AI adoption has risen to 74 percent up from 62 percent a year earlier. More significantly, 39 percent of people now intentionally use AI ‘often’ or ‘every day,’ representing a substantial shift from experimentation to actual habit. (more…)

Before trying to work out whether AI can be conscious, we need to work out what consciousness is

by • AI, Comment, Wellbeing

The conversation about whether AI is conscious or not has a problem it usually fails to acknowledge. And it’s this. We don’t know what consciousness is.For those keeping up with the conversations about AI, beyond the hour-by-hour flip flopping about whether it will create hell or heaven on Earth, all driven by the hype merchants behind it and their critics, the most vigorous seems to be about whether AI is conscious or not. Now this is worth addressing, of course, but the entire conversation has a problem it usually fails to acknowledge. And it’s this. We don’t know what consciousness is. (more…)

Over-reliance on Gen-AI may weaken moral insights, understanding, and know-how

by • AI, News

Generative artificial intelligence (Gen-AI) has become a routine part of working life but over-reliance on the technology may erode managers’ ability to build moral insights, contextual understanding and know-how to do get a job done, according to a new study from the University of Bath.Generative artificial intelligence (Gen-AI) has become a routine part of working life but over-reliance on the technology may erode managers’ ability to build moral insights, contextual understanding and know-how to do get a job done, according to a new study from the University of Bath. The research, published in the Academy of Management Review, explores how tools such as ChatGPT may affect what academics call “managerial phronesis” – the practical wisdom managers develop through real-world experience, reflection and human interaction. (more…)

AI use surges across property and construction but firms struggle beyond pilot studies

by • AI, News, Property

AI adoption across construction and commercial property has accelerated significantly over the past year, but firms are struggling to turn pilot studies into routine practiceAI adoption across construction and commercial property has accelerated significantly over the past year, but firms are struggling to turn pilot studies into routine practice, according to new research from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The RICS AI in Commercial Property and Construction Report 2026, based on more than 3,100 responses from industry professionals worldwide, found that about two-thirds of construction professionals are using AI in some form, up from just over half in 2025. In commercial property, more than three-quarters report some level of AI use. (more…)

Third of people think AI would do a better job than their human manager

by • AI, News, Workplace

More than a third of UK employees believe replacing their line manager with an artificial intelligence system would improve their productivityMore than a third of UK employees believe replacing their line manager with an artificial intelligence (AI) system would improve their productivity, although a large majority still want performance feedback delivered by a human manager. Polling commissioned by Careerminds UK found that 36.7 percent of employees thought an AI manager would make them more productive, compared with 25.5 percent who expected their productivity to decline. A further 37.8 percent said it would make no difference. (more…)

Why the organisations seeing real returns from agentic AI are empowering employees, not cutting jobs

by • AI, Comment

The launch of the UK Government’s AI Skills Compact reflects an important shift in how policymakers and businesses are thinking about artificial intelligence. Rather than viewing AI simply as a route to greater efficiency or reduced headcount, leaders are starting to recognise that long-term competitiveness will depend just as much on equipping people with the skills to work alongside AI as investing in the technology itself. (more…)

AI could increase the relevance of the physical workplace, Gensler report suggests

by • AI, News, Workplace design

Workers who regularly use artificial intelligence are spending less time working alone and more time learning and socialising with colleagues, suggesting that the spread of AI could increase rather than diminish the importance of the physical workplaceWorkers who regularly use artificial intelligence are spending less time working alone and more time learning and socialising with colleagues, suggesting that the spread of AI could increase rather than diminish the importance of the physical workplace. Gensler’s Global Workplace Survey 2026 found that 30 per cent of workers regularly use AI tools in both their professional and personal lives, a group the architecture and design firm describes as “AI power users”. A further 36 per cent are classed as late adopters who rarely or never use AI. (more…)

Productivity gains from workplace AI mean little if they erase professional judgment

by • AI, Architecture, Comment, Workplace design

Speed can become a dangerous proxy for the value of workplace AI when leaders stop asking what happened to the judgment behind the work.The strongest case for workplace AI rarely begins with a dramatic breakthrough. It begins with ordinary time savings: a report drafted faster, a plan assembled in minutes or a first pass produced without the usual blank-page delay. Those gains matter. Yet speed can become a dangerous proxy for value when leaders stop asking what happened to the judgment behind the work. (more…)

London named world’s most intelligent city in new AI benchmark report from BCG

by • AI, Cities, News

London has been ranked as the world's most intelligent city in the inaugural Intelligent Cities Index from Boston Consulting Group (BCG), reflecting the capital's ability to translate AI, digital technology and innovation into economic opportunity and improved public services.London has been ranked as the world’s most intelligent city in the inaugural Intelligent Cities Index from Boston Consulting Group (BCG), reflecting the capital’s ability to translate AI, digital technology and innovation into economic opportunity and improved public services. The study assessed 61 major cities across 39 countries against five measures of “intelligent city” maturity: resident outcomes, strategy, technology adoption, ways of working in government and enabling factors such as infrastructure, talent and investment. London topped the overall ranking ahead of Dubai, New York City, Washington DC and Amsterdam. (more…)

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