Artificial intelligence is transforming the way organisations work, with many businesses across the UK investing in new tools to improve productivity and unlock new opportunities.
But while investment in AI continues to accelerate, one question is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore:
Are organisations investing enough in the people expected to use it?
To explore this, Kaplan commissioned research through Censuswide, surveying 1,000 UK employees, 600 C-suite leaders, and 600 HR and learning and development decision-makers.
The aim was to understand how organisations are approaching AI capability, and what might be standing between AI investment and the business value organisations expect from it.
With this in mind, we wanted to look beyond AI adoption itself and explore some of the unanswered questions around what happens next.
The questions behind the research
With the research commissioned, we wanted to explore what sits behind the gap between AI investment and the value organisations are expecting to see.
That meant asking some questions that don't have straightforward answers.
Is confidence the same as capability?
It's one thing for employees to feel confident using AI, and it's another to know whether that confidence translates into genuine capability.
Our research found a notable difference between how employees assess their own AI skills and how leaders view the capability of their workforce. It raises another important question for organisations: how do you know whether confidence is translating into effective use?
Who owns AI capability?
AI capability cuts across technology, people, and business strategy, so responsibility isn't necessarily straightforward.
Our initial question was simple: who actually owns AI capability? What we found was a significant difference in perspective across technology, HR, L&D, and executive leadership - suggesting that organisations may not have a shared understanding of where responsibility sits.
And if ownership isn't clear, how can organisations expect capability to develop at the pace of the technology?
Are organisations investing in people at the same pace as technology?
AI investment is moving quickly, but the people expected to turn that investment into results need opportunities to develop alongside it.
We wanted to understand whether organisations are investing in workforce development at the same pace as technology - and whether employees are getting the support they need to build practical AI skills.
The research offers some encouraging signs, but also raises questions about how widely those opportunities are available.
What does effective AI development actually look like?
Even when organisations recognise the need to build AI capability, there is still a question of how best to develop it.
Our research explored the different approaches employees and leaders see as effective, from structured development to learning through practical experience.
The findings suggest this may be less about choosing one approach and more about understanding how different forms of development can work together.
Why this research matters
The questions explored through this research point to a bigger opportunity for organisations: moving beyond AI adoption to building the capability needed to make it work.
Because having access to AI is only the starting point. The real opportunity lies in equipping people to use it effectively and turning investment in technology into meaningful business value.
The full report explores the findings from more than 2,200 UK respondents, and what they could mean for organisations navigating the next stage of AI adoption.
Download Kaplan's AI to ROI report to discover what the research reveals about the people, skills and investment needed to turn AI potential into business value.
Methodology
The research was conducted by Censuswide, among three samples of:
- 1000 UK employees within transformation-heavy sectors and functions in companies with 50+ employees where AI deployment is active (excludes Business owners and C-Level Execs) between 10.07.2026 - 21.07.2026
- 600 UK HR and L&D decision makers (HR directors, L&D managers, People and Talent leads) with 50+ employees, whose organisation is using AI between 10.07.2026 – 22.07.2026
- 600 (Aged 25+) C-Suite and Director level; in specific sectors; whose organisations use AI; and at companies of 50+ employees between 10.07.2026 – 22.07.2026
Censuswide is a member of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the British Polling Council (BPC), and a signatory of the Global Data Quality Pledge. We adhere to the MRS Code of Conduct and ESOMAR principles