UK directors say people must remain central to work as AI adoption accelerates

New findings from monday.com suggest UK business leaders expect artificial intelligence to expand rather than shrink their workforces in the year ahead. The company’s latest World of Work report [registration], based on feedback from directors in the UK and US, shows that most UK leaders do not foresee headcount reductions in 2026, with almost a third expecting to hire more as AI becomes further embedded in daily operations.

The research indicates high levels of AI use across UK organisations. Almost all directors say they use the technology at work, most of them every day, and a majority consider themselves advanced users. Many report that AI is now built into their wider business strategy, with growing numbers establishing dedicated AI or innovation teams to coordinate adoption. Leaders also say employees are receptive to new tools and increasingly proficient in using them, which they connect to early returns: just over half report new revenue linked to AI this year.

Directors are prioritising efficiency and accuracy as they look to the next phase of adoption. They continue to focus on streamlining processes and improving quality, while ambitions for developing AI-enabled products and services are rising. Familiarity with the idea of a digital workforce is widespread, and leaders expect AI agents to take on longer chains of activity across existing systems. Much of this is concentrated in areas facing productivity pressure, including reporting, data analysis and project coordination.

The report stresses that this shift is not about replacing people. Leaders view AI agents as a way to automate predictable tasks while freeing employees for judgement, innovation and more strategic work. As systems develop, they expect teams to take responsibility for training, refining and maintaining agents to meet organisational standards.

Despite heavy use, directors see clear limitations in current tools. Many juggle multiple platforms, including unofficial ones, creating inefficiencies and concerns around security and reliability. Data privacy remains the leading barrier, followed by doubts about accuracy. Only a minority say their organisation has fully established AI policies, and trust in existing tools remains limited.

These challenges are shaping priorities for the year ahead. Nearly half of directors say they are now exploring embedded AI tools that integrate more seamlessly into everyday workflows. Most believe that better-connected systems will unlock significant performance gains over the next twelve months, provided the technology advances in a way that strengthens accuracy, security and the role of people in work.