UK workers keep quiet about AI use, survey shows

Research reveals deep mistrust as half fear AI threatens social fabric

British workers are concealing their use of AI at work, with many fearing that revealing reliance on the technology could damage their reputation, according to new research.

Polling for The Guardian by Ipsos, covering more than 1,500 workers aged 16 to 75, found that a third (33%) admit they do not tell managers or senior colleagues about their use of AI tools.

Only 13% say they openly discuss AI with their bosses, while nearly a quarter believe co-workers would question their ability to perform their role if they revealed how often they rely on the technology.

The results come despite PM Keir Starmer's call to "mainline AI into the veins" of Britain's economy, part of a government effort to make the UK a global centre for AI development.

The survey also uncovered deep anxiety about the broader consequences of AI.

More than half of respondents said they believed the technology threatens the very structure of society, with sceptics outnumbering those who see AI as a positive force. Almost two-thirds (63%) said AI could never replace human interaction, compared with just 17% who disagreed.

The findings come at a politically sensitive moment. Donald Trump is due in London this week on a state visit expected to herald closer UK-US collaboration on AI.

Sam Altman, the co-founder of OpenAI, will join the US president on his visit, having signed a memorandum of understanding with the UK government to examine the use of advanced AI models in sectors including justice, security and education.

Jensen Huang, chief executive of Nvidia, is also tipped to confirm plans for Britain's largest datacentre, to be built in Blyth, Northumbria.

Gaia Marcus, director of the Ada Lovelace Institute, warned that the secrecy around AI use illustrates a looming "trust gap" between the government's enthusiasm and public unease.

"We need more evaluation of the impact of using these tools, not just in the lab but in people's everyday lives and workflows," she said.

"To my knowledge, we haven't seen any compelling evidence that the spread of these generative AI tools is significantly increasing productivity yet. Everything we are seeing suggests the need for humans to remain in the driving seat with the tools we use."

Concerns over workplace guidance are widespread. Research by Henley Business School in May found that nearly half of UK workers (49%) reported no formal rules for AI use in their workplace, while more than a quarter said their employer offered no support at all.

The unease is reflected in polling for the Trades Union Congress (TUC) last month, which revealed that 51% of adults fear AI could take or alter their jobs.

That survey found younger workers especially anxious, with nearly two-thirds (62%) of those aged 25-34 voicing concern.

The TUC has warned that without safeguards, AI could fuel inequality, worsen job quality and trigger social unrest. It is calling for workers to have a say in how AI is deployed at work and for public funding of AI research to be tied to improvements in skills, pay, conditions and representation.