UK firms are pulling ahead of EU competitors in the AI race – here's why
Unhampered by red tape, UK firms are quicker to deploy AI projects and less likely to abandon them


UK organizations are pulling ahead of EU competitors in implementing AI, new research suggests, and a key factor lies in their confidence about regulatory compliance.
Almost a quarter of UK CEOs told AI firm Daikatu they have a formal roadmap for AI implementation over the next year, double the global average and nearly five times as many as in Germany.
And while four-in-ten CEOs in France and a third in Germany said they'd cancelled an AI project due to regulatory uncertainty, only one-in-five UK CEOs said the same.
Florian Douetteau, CEO and co-founder of Dataiku, said the contrasting regulatory landscapes on both sides of the English Channel are enabling British firms to capitalize on the AI ‘boom’.
"The market research in our report suggests reduced regulatory uncertainty is giving UK businesses the clarity to act — accelerating innovation and adoption, even as AI evolves at a relentless pace," Douetteau said.
"Working with our enterprise customers, we have seen first-hand that when CEOs have confidence in compliance and control over governance, they can move faster, scale smarter, and fully capitalize on AI’s potential."
Hesitation over AI regulation is a global issue, the study noted, with eight-in-ten CEOs concerned that the EU AI Act could slow adoption in their organizations.
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Future Focus 2025 report - the leading guidance on AI, cybersecurity and other IT challenges as per 700+ senior executives
The Act brings with it a common regulatory and legal framework for AI, and is aimed at ensuring AI development and deployment in the EU is carried out responsibly.
However, there's been plenty of room for confusion and uncertainty, with the latest draft of the General-Purpose AI Code of Practice published only recently, and potentially set for more changes before it comes into force in May.
"The EU AI Act has raised more questions than it answered, and in the process has seen businesses within its jurisdiction become increasingly cautious with their AI programmes," said Jacob Beswick, senior director of AI governance at Dataiku and former UK assistant director for AI adoption and regulation.
"Heavier regulations in the EU mean there are more restrictions on what you can and cannot operationalize and put on the market than in the UK, in turn arguably making the UK an attractive market for AI innovators."
Firms still conscious of AI governance
CEOs acknowledged that while AI is a critical competitive differentiator, their organizations often lack the governance, planning, and oversight needed to carry projects out successfully.
RELATED WHITEPAPER
While eight-in-ten CEOs globally said they were confident in their company’s AI governance framework, or their ability to set rules around data access and privacy, only a third of these described themselves as extremely confident.
Overall, more than a third of CEOs said their AI projects had been delayed due to regulatory uncertainty, with 32% having canceled or abandoned them altogether.
However, Beswick noted that while regulatory considerations may slow down AI implementation, those without stricter guidelines must ensure they are creating AI products “with risk awareness in mind, as opposed to simply doing so because they can”.
MORE FROM ITPRO
Emma Woollacott is a freelance journalist writing for publications including the BBC, Private Eye, Forbes, Raconteur and specialist technology titles.
-
A threat to Google’s dominance? The AI browser wars have begun – here are the top contenders vying for the crown
News Perplexity has unveiled its Comet browser while OpenAI is reportedly planning to follow suit
-
Google Cloud Summit London 2025: Practical AI deployment
ITPro Podcast As startups take hold of technologies such as AI agents, where is the sector headed?
-
‘Lean into it’: Amazon CEO Andy Jassy thinks enterprises need to embrace AI to avoid being left behind – even if that means fewer jobs in the future
News Amazon CEO Andy Jassy thinks companies need to "lean into" AI and embrace the technology despite concerns over job losses.
-
Engineering firms see little productivity benefit from use of AI
News While engineering firms are keen on ramping up the use of AI, many aren't fully unlocking value due to botched adoption strategies and legacy technology.
-
Gen Z workers are keen on AI in the workplace – but they’re still skeptical about the hype
News Younger workers could lead the shift to AI, but only think it can can manage some tasks
-
Google CEO Sundar Pichai is unfazed by AI job cuts — workers might not share the same optimism
Analysis Google CEO Sundar Pichai is upbeat about the impact of AI on the workforce, but workers might not share the same optimism amid repeated waves of job cuts.
-
‘A major step forward’: Keir Starmer’s £187 million tech skills drive welcomed by UK industry
News The ‘TechFirst’ program aims to shore up the UK’s digital skills to meet future AI needs
-
Multiverse wants to train 15,000 new AI apprentices across the UK
News The program, open to workers across the UK, is designed to support the UK government's AI Opportunities Action Plan
-
CEOs think workers are becoming hostile to AI tools, but they’re pushing ahead with adoption anyway
News Executives are driving the adoption of AI tools despite concerns workers will push back
-
Women are three times more likely to lose jobs to AI – here are the roles facing the biggest threats
News Roles dominated by women are three times more likely to be replaced or transformed by AI than those traditionally held by men