The State of AI 2026 Survey, published on 30 July by ICS.AI, a UK AI business focused on the public sector, surfaces a tension between growing personal adoption and public scepticism about national readiness. While 40% of respondents already use AI regularly at work and 46% use it frequently in their personal lives, the majority do not believe government is keeping pace.
The survey sits alongside a broader picture of economic anxiety. More than seven in ten (71%) name the cost of living crisis as their biggest current concern, far ahead of the risk of war (16%) and AI itself (13%). Despite that ranking, respondents increasingly see AI as part of the economic solution: nearly half (48%) would now prefer AI-powered public services that deliver faster outcomes, up three percentage points from six months ago.
Public priorities on national AI strategy are revealing. When asked what the UK should focus on, 49% said ensuring AI is trustworthy and well regulated, placing governance well ahead of domestic AI development (24%) and affordability (20%). Two thirds (67%) support restricting AI tools for under-16s, rising to 72% among women.
Martin Neale, CEO and founder of ICS.AI, said: "Britain has the talent, research capability and ambition to become a global AI leader, but our findings suggest that despite recent government initiatives, the public doesn't believe we're moving quickly enough. People aren't asking us to slow down on AI, in fact, quite the opposite."
ICS.AI is proposing a UK Sovereign AI Charter, a practical framework for responsible AI adoption to be developed with other UK AI businesses, policymakers and industry organisations. The company intends to explore forming a national action group to produce concrete recommendations for accelerating AI adoption across the economy and public sector.
Luke Murphy, MP for Basingstoke, added: "The UK has an opportunity to be a global leader in AI, but success will depend on combining innovation with responsible governance, and that is the approach the government is taking."
ICS.AI's report, The State of AI 2026: Trust, Readiness and the Public Mandate, is available at ics.ai.
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