Office for National Statistics data show 29% of UK businesses reported using at least one type of artificial intelligence technology in June 2026, up 8 percentage points in a single year and part of a sustained three-year rise.
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The Headline Number
Nearly one in three UK businesses is now using artificial intelligence. That’s the headline finding from the Office for National Statistics, whose Business Insights and Conditions Survey recorded 29% of UK businesses using at least one type of AI technology in June 2026 — an 8 percentage point jump from the same month in 2025.
The ONS was clear that this isn’t a one-off spike. The figures show a continuing upward trend stretching back three years, with earlier BICS data recording approximately 25% of UK businesses using some form of AI by late December 2025, itself up sharply from around 10% when the BICS AI question was first introduced in late September 2023. So in roughly three years, adoption has more than tripled by that measure.
Why the Numbers Don’t All Agree
The 29% figure sits within a wider range of estimates — and the gap between them is worth understanding. Research from the British Chambers of Commerce and the University of Essex, using a broader definition of AI use, put the proportion of UK firms actively using AI at 54% in 2026. At the other end, government-commissioned research using a tighter definition has put the figure closer to 16%.
These aren’t contradictory findings so much as a reminder that how you define AI shapes what you count. The ONS methodology, applied consistently through its BICS waves, is designed for comparability over time rather than capturing every possible form of digital automation. Researchers have flagged that more granular data — on intensity of use, sector breakdowns, and firm size — would help paint a fuller picture.
Who’s Adopting and Who Isn’t
Adoption is uneven. The data suggests higher uptake in information and communications, professional services and finance, compared with more traditional sectors and smaller businesses. Cost, skills shortages, integration complexity and regulatory uncertainty are the barriers most commonly cited by smaller firms — many of which may be using AI in limited ways, or not at all, despite the headline trend moving upward.
What It Means for the Kent Economy
Kent businesses are included within these national figures, though county-level breakdowns aren’t currently published by ONS. Key local sectors — logistics, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism and professional services — are all areas where AI tools such as route optimisation, predictive maintenance and automated customer service are already being deployed by firms nationally.
For workers, the picture is mixed. Increasing AI use is linked in economic research to changes in labour demand and required skills, chiefly in office-based and back-office roles. Kent’s colleges, universities and training providers may see rising demand for AI-related digital skills courses as a result.
Kent County Council and district councils, according to economic development frameworks, may need to factor AI readiness and digital infrastructure into local economic strategies if Kent firms are to keep pace with national productivity trends.
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Source: @ONS
Key Takeaways
- 29% of UK businesses reported using at least one type of AI technology in June 2026, up from approximately 25% in late December 2025 and around 9–10% in September 2023, according to ONS data
- The 8 percentage point year-on-year rise continues a three-year upward trend tracked by the ONS Business Insights and Conditions Survey
- Adoption figures vary considerably depending on methodology — from around 16% under a tight government definition to 54% in British Chambers of Commerce / University of Essex research using a broader measure
What This Means for Kent Residents
Kent businesses across logistics, agriculture, manufacturing and professional services are among the firms captured in the national 29% figure, even though ONS does not currently publish county-level AI adoption data. For workers in the county, especially those in administrative, customer-facing or back-office roles, the trend points toward a growing need for digital and AI-related skills — something local training providers and colleges are likely to respond to with new courses and apprenticeships. If you run a small business in Kent and are weighing up whether AI tools are right for you, the UK government’s business support programmes and local growth hubs can offer guidance on costs, risks and where to start.