UK firms embrace AI boom, but leadership gap threatens growth
LONDON, June 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The UK's ambitions to become a global leader in artificial intelligence risk being held back by a shortage of managers and leaders with the skills and confidence to turn investment in AI into higher productivity, stronger businesses and economic growth, according to new research from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).
The report, Artificial Intelligence: Real Leadership, The Management Imperative in AI Adoption, finds that while businesses are investing heavily in AI, many risk falling short of the full economic opportunity because they are not investing at the same pace in the leadership capability needed to scale adoption successfully.
While 70% of managers report some productivity gains from AI, only 5% say those gains have been transformational, while 26% report no gains at all. Over two-thirds of organisations (68%) remain in the early stages of adoption, either experimenting with AI or running pilot projects, despite more than half of managers (52%) expecting their organisation to be AI-ready within the next year.
The research also identifies a significant credibility gap in leadership: 64% of senior leaders encourage employees to experiment with AI, but only 13% of managers strongly agree that those leaders are actively using and testing the tools themselves.
The report highlights changing workplace dynamics, with seven in ten managers (70%) saying they are more likely to seek advice from generative AI tools than from their own managers.
Jacky Wright, former Chief Technology and Platforms Officer at McKinsey and Chair of the CMI AI Advisory Council, said: "The UK has a major opportunity to lead globally in AI adoption, innovation and productivity growth. Businesses are already investing at pace, but technology alone will not deliver transformation.
"The organisations seeing the greatest success are those investing equally in leadership, culture and workforce confidence. AI adoption is not just a technical challenge, it is a management challenge."
CMI Chief Executive Ann Francke OBE said: "British firms are not lacking ambition on AI. Across the economy, organisations are investing heavily because they recognise the enormous opportunity AI presents for growth and productivity.
"But there is a real risk the UK falls short of that opportunity if organisations fail to equip managers with the skills and confidence needed to lead change effectively. Britain cannot become an AI leader if leadership capability itself is left behind."
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