.svg)
Nearly 40% of UK tech leaders believe their company boards have unrealistic expectations about how artificial intelligence (AI) will boost business outcomes, according to new research by IDC for Expereo.
The study, which surveyed 650 technology executives across Europe, the US, and Asia-Pacific, found that 88% view AI as crucial for achieving business goals in the coming year. However, 26% reported that expectations are rising faster than their teams can deliver.
Despite this, only 14% of UK businesses said AI had underperformed, with many seeing significant gains — 64% in customer engagement and 65% in cost reduction.
Still, 47% said their current networks aren't ready for AI, and 49% pointed to weak network performance as a barrier to deploying AI or large-scale data initiatives. Additionally, 41% flagged AI governance and ethics as key issues, while 30% cited employee pushback and 32% noted the challenge of keeping up with rapid advancements.
Yet, AI's role is raising the profile of tech leaders, with 76% saying they've gained more visibility at the board level — up from 60% in 2024.
Expereo CEO Ben Elms stressed the need for setting realistic goals and ensuring strong infrastructure to fully realize AI’s potential. “AI is powerful, but not a quick fix. Strategic planning, robust networks, and consistent performance are essential to make AI sustainable and scalable for the future,” he said.
