UKI C-Suite Leaders Embrace AI Agents to Boost Productivity – Salesforce Digital Labour Trends Survey

Findings from a new study conducted by Salesforce in partnership with NewtonX on adoption of AI agents underlines the strides UK and Ireland companies are making as early adopters of agentic AI.

The quantitative survey of 110 C-suite executives found almost four out of five (78%), across industries and company sizes, are currently using AI agents in their workflow.

Why it’s important: For the first time, workforces can exceed the bounds of human capability with AI agents working 24/7 to augment and greatly expand productivity, efficiency, innovation, and business competition. Most users in UKI are saving between three and 10 hours per week using AI agents, and expect to realise further productivity gains in the future.

Senior leaders surveyed on how digital labour is reshaping their business say they’re no longer talking about the agentic economy as a coming trend, but a reality. 

To ensure this momentum continues, however, in the survey leaders acknowledged that organisational transformation is required, particularly around the need to redeploy talent to support a future workforce with agents and investment in AI-related training.

By the numbers:

AI adoption in the UKI is high, supported by technical infrastructure and employee use.

• 78% of UKI senior leaders say their organisation currently uses AI agents in their workflow.
• 62% rate their technical infrastructure’s adaptability to AI as very good or good.
• 47% rate their employees’ adaptability to AI tools as very good or good.
• 26% expect AI agents to boost productivity across their business.

Senior UKI business leaders anticipate the impact of AI agents will transform their organisational structure and roles.

• 81% believe AI agents will transform their organisational structure.
• 91% of leaders say AI agents will enable employee reassignment to relevant new roles.
• 90% report active executive discussion around AI adoption.
• 89% agree that integrating AI into workflows will be a critical part of their role.

As AI adoption increases, IT and R&D departments are expected to grow, while customer service and operations are likely to shrink. Skills involving AI collaboration and adaptability will rise, becoming increasingly valuable with AI agents.

• 65% of UKI senior leaders expect IT departments will grow the most. Other departments expected to grow include R&D (62%) and Sales (41%). 
• Respondents expect 24% of the workforce to be reassigned to other roles/departments. 
• Top reassignment areas are ‌technical roles (59%), research and development (50%), and relationship-building roles (49%).
• UKI leaders believe human / AI agent collaboration will become the most valuable skill (86%), followed by AI literacy (84%) and adaptability (83%).
  • Other increasingly valuable skills include creative thinking (69%), problem solving (66%), and AI accountability (61%). 

Most organisations plan to train their teams on AI in the next six months to a year.

• 84% of leaders intend to train employees within the next 12 months.
• Leaders intend to invest an average of 12% of a typical employee salary on AI-related retraining.
• Only 8% anticipate no investment in reskilling.

More information:

• Read why Salesforce UKI’s CEO Zahra Bahrololoumi’ thinks investment in AI and skills is critical to realising the UK’s growth ambitions
• Read more World Tour London news here

Research methodology:

The findings of the Salesforce’s UKI Digital Labour Trends survey are based on a quantitative survey conducted with 110 C-level executives involved in the decision-making of AI integration or automation for their companies. The sample includes 100 respondents from the UK and 10 from Ireland, representing organisations with 200 or more employees across a broad range of industries. The survey captured insights from a diverse mix of C-suite roles, reflecting perspectives from both medium-sized enterprises and large-scale businesses.