AI-Curious or AI-Native? Mapping the UK’s AI Journey

2 days ago
3 min read

Updated: 19 hours ago

A national survey revealing how people really feel about AI at work and in public services

Artificial intelligence has moved from experimentation to everyday use faster than almost any technology the public sector has seen. The question for leaders is no longer whether AI will play a role, but how AI is adopted, governed and trusted at scale.

The recent ICS.AI National AI Survey provides a clear, evidence-based snapshot of where the UK stands today. Based on responses from 2,000 UK employees, it reveals a workforce that is pragmatic, curious and already using AI - but clear that trust, fairness and human accountability must come first.

Why this research matters

AI is already embedded in daily work and life. Yet organisational readiness remains uneven, governance is often unclear, and confidence in outcomes depends less on the technology itself and more on how it is led.

The findings show that while AI is broadly welcomed, people expect it to be:

Well governed and trustworthy
Inclusive and reflective of real communities
Used to support, not replace, human judgement
Embedded consistently, not through isolated pilots

Without clear operating models, AI risks becoming fragmented and eroding trust. When embedded deliberately, it can become a powerful ally in delivering better outcomes under growing financial and operational pressure.

What the survey reveals

AI is mainstream, not marginal: More than three quarters of respondents already use AI regularly at work or at home. Curiosity and optimism outweigh fear, and belief in AI’s potential to improve public services and accessibility is strong.
Trust matters more than speed: Nearly half of respondents say tight regulation and trustworthiness matter more than cost, speed or national origin when the UK invests in AI. Acceptance is conditional on doing it properly.
A clear AI maturity gap: Only one in ten organisations can be described as AI-native. Most remain AI-curious or partially embedded, relying on small pilots or individual use rather than organisation-wide approaches.
Value is uneven: While some organisations are already seeing returns, many say it is still too early to tell. AI is used far more for administrative efficiency than for strategic decision-making.
Humans must remain accountable: There is a strong preference for human-in-the-loop models, particularly in high-impact contexts. Most expect human sign-off or human-led decisions supported by AI.
Inclusion cannot be an afterthought: Concerns about accents, dialects and fairness highlight the risk that poorly designed AI could reinforce inequality rather than reduce it.

From curiosity to AI-native operation

The evidence points to a pivotal moment for UK organisations.

The challenge is no longer access to tools. It is defining how AI should be owned, governed and scaled across services, staff workflows and decision-making.

Organisations that move beyond pilots towards AI-native operating models, with governance by design and clear human accountability, are better placed to unlock productivity, resilience and public confidence.

This is a leadership challenge, not a technology one.

The ICS.AI perspective

ICS.AI was established to help organisations move from experimentation to responsible, value-led AI adoption.

Our work focuses on:

Organisation-wide AI operating models, not isolated use cases
Human-in-the-loop governance, where AI proposes and people decide
Outcome-led deployment with clear value attribution
Inclusive design that reflects real communities and builds trust

The findings in this survey reinforce the need to move beyond tools and pilots towards deliberate, joined-up transformation.

Download the full report

AI-Curious or AI-Native? Mapping the UK’s AI Journey - Access the complete survey results, methodology and detailed analysis of AI usage, trust, readiness and maturity across the UK workforce.