Microsoft’s UK chief executive, Darren Hardman, has stated that numerous organizations, both in the public and private sectors, lack a formal artificial intelligence (AI) strategy and are reported to be “stuck in neutral” in their AI approach, according to a survey of almost 1,500 senior leaders and 1,440 employees across various sectors in the UK. Over half of these executives indicated that their organization does not have an official AI plan in place and noted a growing productivity gap between employees using AI versus those who are not.

Hardman suggests that these organizations are stuck in the experimentation phase of AI and are not advancing towards its deployment. Microsoft, which is a major financial backer of OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, is advocating for the use of autonomous AI agents in the workplace to automate tasks without human intervention. McKinsey, one of the early adopters of Microsoft’s Copilot Studio, is utilizing AI agents to streamline tasks like scheduling prospective client meetings.

The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change has projected that AI could displace up to 3 million jobs in the UK, but the long-term job loss impact is expected to be in the low hundreds of thousands as new roles are also anticipated. Hardman argues that AI agents will eliminate mundane tasks and allow employees to focus on creative aspects of their jobs, much like the emergence of the internet created new roles in retail such as data analysts and web designers.

Regarding the proposed reforms to UK copyright law that have faced opposition from the creative industries, Hardman believes these reforms will provide clarity and support AI development, contributing to wider economic growth. The reforms would allow tech companies like Microsoft to use copyright-protected work without permission in order to train their models.

Additionally, Bernard Looney, the former CEO of BP who resigned in 2023 over the non-disclosure of personal relationships with colleagues, has been appointed as the chair of the UK technology startup ExpectAI. Looney is set to assist the company, which uses data to help small and medium-sized businesses reduce costs and emissions, in its expansion efforts.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/mar/05/uk-firms-ai-microsoft-uk-boss