UK companies utilising AI are witnessing cost reductions and boosted revenue - however, long-standing businesses and those outside the capital risk lagging behind.
A study featuring data from 5.3 million businesses globally revealed 70% of UK firms now employ AI in some form. In the process, 77% reported enhanced productivity, while 43% claim it has boosted their turnover.
More than one in four (27%) also claim the use of AI has made their workdays shorter and 28% have seen costs decrease. But some businesses risk falling behind.
Intuit’s 2026 AI Impact Report combined administrative data from more than 5.3 million businesses using QuickBooks, alongside surveys of more than 34,000 businesses across the UK, Canada, US and Australia.
The findings suggest a divide in how companies throughout the UK are embracing AI.
The study reveals London enterprises are 13.2 percentage points more likely to deploy AI extensively across their operations. However, businesses in the South East are 13.8 percentage points more likely than the national average to report never using AI, while firms in the South West are 14.9 percentage points less likely to report extensive AI use.
Companies in Wales also tend to use AI on a limited or experimental basis rather than extensively.
Andrew Price, CEO and co-founder of Synapx, said: "AI allows a small team to operate with the maturity, governance, and delivery capability of a much larger organisation.
"It accelerates business maturity, and maturity is what unlocks sustainable growth, not just short-term efficiency.
"We're seeing a growing divide between businesses that are experimenting with AI and those that are embedding it into day-to-day operations."
Despite regional disparities, the study showed many who are adopting AI are reaping benefits. A fifth even reported they are making more hires due to AI.
Ciarán Quilty, from Intuit, said: "UK businesses aren't short of tools, they're short of time and clarity. "We're seeing a shift from reactive software to proactive AI embedded into businesses systems that actually do work on behalf of the customer.
"By embedding AI directly into key workflows, businesses spend less time managing admin and more time making confident decisions about how they grow. Usage of this kind is growing and ambitious businesses are beginning to reap the benefits."
