A stylised image of artificial intelligence being commodified, with digital hands exchanging an “AI” cube marked “For Sale”.
In our first article, we looked at how UK businesses are adopting AI – and where they are on that journey. Now, we turn our focus to something just as important:
What do businesses believe AI is good for?
Perception matters. It doesn’t just influence whether a business adopts AI; it shapes how it’s used, how teams are trained, and how fast companies move from pilot testing to full integration.
To dig deeper, we asked 750 business decision-makers across the UK a simple but revealing question: “What, if anything, do you think are the main benefits of AI generally?”
Here’s what we found.
According to our survey, the most widely recognised benefit was time savings (54%), followed by productivity efficiencies (42%) and cost savings (42%).
Together, these three form the practical backbone of AI’s perceived value: freeing up time, boosting efficiency, and reducing costs.
Top benefits of AI adoption reported by UK businesses.
Beyond that, a second tier of perceived value emerged:
Only 8% said they saw no benefits in AI at all – showing that while scepticism remains, it’s increasingly in the minority.
Generational differences in AI benefit perception.
Millennials (29–44) were the most enthusiastic group, with 52% citing productivity gains and 29% saying AI gives a competitive edge.
Gen X (45–60) followed closely, especially in recognising decision-making (26%) and brand-forward thinking (26%) benefits.
Baby Boomers (61–79) and the Silent Generation (80+) valued time and cost savings, but were less likely to associate AI with innovation.
The most sceptical group? Surprisingly, Gen Z (18–28). While 46% acknowledged time savings, 22% said AI has no benefits at all – the highest of any generation. This may reflect less practical exposure to AI in the workplace – or a growing expectation/reality gap.
As with AI adoption, the size of a business plays a big role in how benefits are perceived – but it’s not just about scale. It’s about confidence, capability, and access.
AI benefits increase with company size.
At the smallest end of the spectrum, sole traders were unanimous in their scepticism, with 100% saying AI offers no particular benefit. That’s a striking figure – and a reminder of how far-removed solo businesses still feel from mainstream AI tools.
Among micro and small businesses (1-49 employees), support for time and cost savings began to emerge, though strategic benefits remained low.
But among mid-sized businesses (50-249 employees), perceptions shift dramatically:
These companies are large enough to trial AI meaningfully – but still agile enough to implement what works. It’s no surprise they report the most balanced and positive view of AI’s value.
Smaller businesses may initially feel disconnected from AI, but as solutions evolve, tools that use AI to support call handling and communication are becoming more accessible. So ultimately, smaller businesses will likely find AI to be an increasingly valuable resource for improving operations.
When we split the results by sector, clear trends begin to appear. Especially between high-volume, data-driven industries and more people-led environments.
AI delivers the most value in IT, finance, and retail sectors.
Retail, Healthcare and Finance reported the highest recognition of time and cost savings, with Retail leading at 67% for time benefits and 46% for cost. In fast-paced sectors like these, AI’s ability to automate processes and reduce human strain is already delivering results.
IT & Telecoms stood out for more strategic benefits: 24% said AI gives them a competitive advantage, and 28% felt it made them look more forward-thinking – more than any other sector.
On the other end of the scale, sectors like Sales & Marketing and Arts & Culture were more cautious:
This suggests that perceived benefit is often tied to how easily AI fits existing workflows. Where processes are less structured, or outputs are more subjective, belief in AI’s value lags behind.
Location matters, too. Not just in terms of access to tools, but in shaping how AI is talked about, shared, and adopted within regional business communities.
UK firms highlight time and cost efficiency as key AI advantages.
Our data shows regions like Yorkshire (68%) and Wales (67%) leading the way in terms of perceived time savings, followed closely by the South West (64%) and Greater London (57%).
Northern Ireland took a more strategic view of AI. Over half (53%) cited productivity gains, while 33% pointed to forward-thinking benefits. Despite lower scores on cost savings (13%), nearly half (47%) recognised time savings, suggesting a focus on broader operational impact over immediate financial return.
Greater London also ranked highly for a more forward-thinking image (23%) and competitive edge (23%), reflecting the capital’s reputation for innovation and early adoption.
In contrast, no region reported zero benefits across the board, but Northern Ireland had the highest percentage of businesses (27%) saying AI offers “no benefit”, followed by East Midlands (13%), Scotland(12%) and West Midlands (9%).
This doesn’t necessarily mean these regions aren’t using AI. But it may reflect a need for more visibility, tailored support, or regionally relevant case studies to build confidence.
It’s a timely reminder that regional outreach, through sector-specific events, training, and real-world success stories, could play a crucial role in closing the perception gap and boosting adoption.
What these results reveal is that perception matters just as much as capability.
Where businesses believe AI has something to offer – whether that’s faster workflows, better decisions, or a sharper competitive edge – they’re more likely to adopt it confidently and with purpose.
And where scepticism lingers – especially among smaller firms, younger leaders, or specific industries – we need to make the case for AI in simple, relevant, and actionable terms.
In the coming weeks, Moneypenny will share more insights from our UK-wide survey – including what businesses really think about AI, who they trust, the challenges they face, the risks they’re watching closely, and where they see the biggest opportunities ahead.
We’ll keep things clear and practical, so you get the insight you need to make confident, well-informed decisions about how AI can work for your business.
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