Microsoft says there’s an AI divide brewing – here’s how enterprises can get on the right side

An AI divide is brewing in the UK, according to research from Microsoft and Goldsmiths University, with many enterprises lacking an AI strategy despite understanding its importance.

Over half (54%) of surveyed business leaders report a lack of any formal AI strategy, while less than half (45%) claim to understand the AI skills they need for their workforce to be successful.

Exactly 50% of surveyed respondents described a gap between AI ambition and action in their organization.

The report stated that UK firms risk getting “stuck in neutral” when it comes to AI adoption, with barriers of skills, strategy, and trust meaning that only 20% of organizations have scaled AI adoption.

Conversely, nearly three-quarters (72%) expect AI agents to be fully integrated into their operations. 8% predict this full integration to take place within 6 months, 21% expect it within 12 months, and 39% expect it within two years.

Over two-thirds (69%) also think AI agents will have a positive impact on innovation in their industry over the next five years, while 53% think this technology will benefit the nation's economy.

“There's a really clear understanding that this is going to be happening to us and then there's, in parallel to that, the idea that, ‘but we're not necessarily prepared, because we haven't got these foundational elements in place,’” Dr Chris Brauer, director of innovation at Goldsmiths and lead on the research paper, told ITPro.

“There's a worry that you end up on the wrong side as it were of that notion of an AI divide,” Brauer added.

There is a divide within workforces as well, with over half (57%) seeing a gap between workers who use AI and those who do not in terms of efficiency and productivity. Over a third (36%) claim that workers who use AI frequently are more likely to be recognized or promoted.

What can businesses do?

Businesses need a two-pronged strategy when it comes to AI adoption, Brauer said. The first part of that involves creating alignment between AI and broader business strategies.

“Stop treating your AI strategy like it's something different and distinct from a major driver for the overall business strategy,” Brauer told ITPro.

High-performance organizations have this overlap between business strategy and the overall pursuit of AI innovation, Brauer said. There also needs to be a cultural realignment within businesses towards the AI future, Brauer added.

Organizations can pursue culture, strategy, and technology in tandem to try and move themselves across the divide and get themselves into a position where they are better equipped to leverage the capabilities of AI, Brauer said.

Financially, businesses should place their focus on measurable, outcome-based investments in AI and keenly focus on return on investment (ROI) at the front end.

AI adoption faces an uphill battle

Businesses across the board have faced a host of problems when it comes to AI adoption. A report from Carruthers and Jackson last month found that 26% of firms lack a formal data strategy despite many ramping up AI usage.

The report also found that while 44% reported an increase in conversations around ethical AI, just 13% have turned these conversations into structured AI ethics policies.

Regulatory uncertainty is also an issue, with AWS’ head of AI and generative AI policy Sasha Rubel telling ITPro last year that a lack of regulatory clarity is hampering AI adoption in Europe.

Last summer, 60% of tech leaders told KPMG that concerns around accuracy and hallucinations are their biggest concern when it comes to adopting generative AI tools.

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