Research from The Adaptavist Group exposes a disconnect between AI reliance and training, as half of UK leaders admit they are not confident in their self-taught AI skills.
Four out of five (80%) business leaders have used GenAI as a business mentor at least once, and a quarter (26%) use it for mentorship on a daily basis.
The research was based on a poll of 300 business leaders in the UK. It also revealed that a significant 90% of business leaders believe there is a mentorship gap in the UK, driving swathes to turn to AI for support. However, despite business leaders’ increasing reliance on GenAI tools, the vast majority lack training, and the study uncovers an enormous appetite for greater guidance on leveraging the technology.
The research shows that business leaders are now using AI more frequently than a human for mentorship. In fact, just 16% turn to a person for business advice on a daily basis, which came in at 10% less than those who use GenAI. Reflecting on the human element, a third (32%) said they had only received human mentorship once or twice in total, and a further 26% said they had only received such mentorship a handful of times (three or more).
Beyond the interpersonal implications of these findings, AI is also having an overwhelmingly positive impact on business success. According to respondents, 59% said AI has improved operations and 35% said it has already helped their business to grow. Looking forward, 62% still see AI as a worthwhile investment and a significant 82% said it will help them to further accelerate business growth.
