Is UK Public Sector Maximising the Impact of AI? New Research Finds Nearly Half of Initiatives are Deployed as 'Bolt-On' or Standalone Tools Rather than in Integrated Workflows

Strong optimism among workers signals it is time to deliver measurable AI value—an effort likely to land well, given that 75% of UK adults surveyed cannot name a single way the government uses the technology

LONDON, Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- New research from Appian (Nasdaq: APPN) shows strong optimism among public sector workers about artificial intelligence (AI) transforming public services, but awareness among the public remains limited, with 75% of surveyed UK adults aged 18+ (representing approximately 41 million people¹) unable to name a single way in which the public sector currently uses AI.

The 2026 UK Public Sector AI Adoption Outlook report, which surveyed 1,000 public sector workers and 1,000 UK citizens, reveals a clear divide between those tasked with delivering AI-enabled services and those who use them. While two thirds (67%) of public servants believe AI will improve public services over the next five years—rising to 87% among director-level leaders—only 44% of citizens share this optimism, a figure closely mirrored by workers in administrative roles (40%).

This disconnect could be explained by the way AI is currently being deployed inside government. With nearly half (45%) of AI initiatives operating as bolt-on experiments or standalone tools rather than being embedded into core service workflows, many applications remain invisible to citizens—limiting public awareness of where and how AI is already in use.

"Too much AI in the public sector is still being used as a personal productivity tool rather than embedded into the processes that actually run services," said Peter Corpe, Industry Lead UK Public Sector at Appian. "When AI is treated as a bolt-on experiment or standalone tool, it struggles to deliver meaningful impact—our research shows nearly half of government's application of AI falls into that trap. If organisations want AI to move beyond pilots and produce real value, it has to be integrated into core processes from the start."

Public trust in AI remains limited 

Public trust in responsible AI use remains low across much of government, with fewer than half of UK citizens trusting central government (39%) or local government (44%) to use AI responsibly—placing government behind retailers (60%), banks (55%) and consumer technology companies (54%). The clear exception is the NHS, which commands a 63% net trust rating, making it the most trusted organisation for AI use across both public and private sectors.

Regarding AI making decisions without human oversight, 67% of public sector workers are comfortable with AI selecting cases for tax or benefits compliance checks compared with 40% of citizens, while 56% of public sector workers support its use in analysing NHS scans versus 40% of citizens. Concerns about AI also extend beyond individual decisions, with the majority of the public worried about implications around data security and privacy (67%), job losses (63%), auditability of decisions (61%) and ethical oversight and bias (59%).

Fixing processes should come before delivering AI at scale

Inside government, enthusiasm for AI is tempered by concerns about execution. Less than a third (29%) of public sector workers say their organisation or department is delivering on most of its AI commitments. A similar proportion say they are moving slower than planned (27%), while a quarter (25%) identify a significant gap between AI strategy and delivery.

One year on from the AI Opportunities Action Plan, where the Government allocated £2bn to implement AI research and resources, the new research findings point to a growing disconnect between strategic ambition and service delivery reality. Nearly 9 in 10 public sector workers (89%) say their organisation is not fully able to leverage AI.

This delivery challenge is widely recognised by both public sector workers and citizens. A majority of public sector workers (55%) and citizens (56%) agree that existing processes must be fixed before new AI technologies are introduced, prioritising process improvement over deploying new AI tools.

"AI is only as good as the work you give it," said Corpe. "This research shows strong belief in AI's potential, but also a clear warning: without fixing the underlying processes first, AI will struggle to deliver on its promise. Serious AI is not about experimentation or standalone tools—it's about applying intelligence to the core processes that keep public services running."

Different priorities but same end goal

While both citizens and public sector workers agree that existing processes must be fixed as a priority, the research reveals contrasting expectations of what AI should deliver. Citizens want AI investment to deliver faster services (35%), improved public safety and fraud prevention (27%) and easier-to-use digital services (26%).  

By contrast, public sector workers are more focused on efficiency gains (47%) and cost savings (41%), highlighting that citizens focus on outcomes they directly experience and public sector workers focus on how those outcomes are delivered. 

The 2026 UK Public Sector AI Adoption Outlook was commissioned by Appian and conducted independently by Censuswide. The study surveyed 1,000 UK public sector workers, including 250 director-level respondents or above, and 1,000 UK citizens aged 18+.

Download the 2026 UK Public Sector AI Adoption Outlook for the full findings.

About Appian

Appian provides process automation technology. We automate complex processes in large enterprises and governments. Our platform is known for its unique reliability and scale. We've been automating processes for 25 years and understand enterprise operations like no one else. For more information, visit appian.com. [Nasdaq: APPN]

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¹ 75% x 55 million UK population aged 18+ = 41 million (Source: Statbase, Population Ages 18+ UK)

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