The British reserve: Navigating the AI transition with caution
The global conversation around Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of growing tension between the wonder and the worry. The latest Ipsos AI Monitor, a comprehensive 32-country survey, reveals that while the world is almost evenly split between excitement and nervousness, in Britain we are much more cautious. But that is not the full story …
A nation of nerves
When it comes to the rise of AI, the prevailing emotion in Great Britain is nervousness. Six in ten (62%) Britons report that products and services using AI make them nervous, substantially higher than the 32-country average of 50%. Conversely, excitement about AI is notably muted. Only 29% of Britons say they are excited by products and services using AI, lagging far behind the global average of 51%. This is an 8-percentage-point drop in excitement from 2025, positioning Great Britain firmly in the more anxious anglophone countries (the US, Canda, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand) when it comes to global attitudes.
The fall in enthusiasm may be linked to a perception that AI is not living up to the hype. In 2023, 46% of Britons thought products and services using AI had more benefits than drawbacks; in 2026, this figure has dropped to 38%. Only one third of Britons (35%) feel that AI has profoundly changed their daily lives in the past 3-5 years (far below the 32-country average of 54%), and half (49%) do not think the potential societal benefits of AI are worth the environmental costs.
A deep-seated trust deficit
Underpinning this national nervousness is a significant trust deficit. Britons are less confident than many of their global counterparts in several key areas:
- Data privacy: Only 37% of Britons trust companies using AI to protect their personal data, compared to the 32-country average of 47%.
- Algorithmic bias: There is more doubt about AI's impartiality, with just 38% of the British public trusting AI to not discriminate or show bias, well below the 32-country average of 55%.
- Cautious use: This scepticism translates into behaviour, highlighting the challenges in balancing trust, adoption and the right governance when implementing AI. While half of Britons (50%) admit to using AI tools they don't fully trust, they are less likely to do so than the average global citizen (63%). A strong majority (74%) also do not trust AI outputs enough to use them without checking the work.
- Commercial Influence: The public is also wary of hidden motives. A majority of Britons (61%) would trust a generative AI tool less if they knew its answers were influenced by advertisers.
Workplace gains despite economic concerns
There is widespread pessimism about the broader economic impact of AI. Only 18% of Britons think increased use of AI will make the national economy better over the next 3 to 5 years. Similarly, only 14% think it will improve the job market over the same period, with 56% thinking it will make it worse.
However, there are some signs of curiosity too. While the British workforce is far from convinced of AI's overall benefits, just under half of workers (45%) report that AI tools have saved them time at work in the past year. Looking ahead, just over half (53%) believe AI will change their job in the next 5 years, with Britons being less likely to fear outright replacement by AI in their job in the same timeframe (22% compared to the 32-country average of 35%).
A call for transparency
Given widespread apprehension about AI among the British public, transparency matters as the country navigates the AI transition. The vast majority (85%) agree that products and services should have to disclose their use of AI. This is higher than the 32-country average (80%), underscoring a strong public desire for transparency and control.
The findings from the 2026 AI Monitor show that while other parts of the world may be embracing AI with more enthusiasm, the British public is approaching this new technological era with reserve. For businesses and policymakers, building trust through transparency and demonstrating tangible, reliable benefits will be crucial to bridging the gap between the potential of AI and the confidence of the British people.
The Ipsos Centre for AI Policy and Impact
The newly established Ipsos Centre for AI Policy and Impact brings together Ipsos in the UK’s research on public attitudes, organisational adoption, and policy development regarding AI.
The Centre works with government departments, regulators, businesses, and policy organisations to build the evidence base for practical AI adoption - tracking how attitudes and behaviours are evolving, and supporting decisions grounded in what is actually happening rather than what is assumed.
