Business & Technology
UK senior leaders more likely to use Shadow AI tools
JOSEPH GABRIEL LAGONSIN
News Editor
TrustedTech has published research suggesting that UK senior leaders are more likely than junior staff to use unapproved artificial intelligence tools at work. The findings are based on a survey of 2,000 employees in the UK and US.
The study found that 62% of UK senior leaders use so-called Shadow AI tools, compared with 31% of employees below decision-maker level. It also found that 51% of senior leaders are concerned about employees using such tools, despite their own reported behaviour.
Shadow AI refers to unapproved artificial intelligence tools that may process or store company data outside authorised systems. The report says the issue is especially sensitive at senior level because leaders often have broader access to internal systems, customer information and administrative controls.
The research suggests use of unapproved tools is often deliberate rather than accidental. Across UK employees, 22% said they would continue using AI tools even if their organisation banned them and disciplinary action was possible, rising to 28% among senior decision-makers.
The findings point to a gap between formal rules and day-to-day practice as employers try to set limits on generative AI tools. They also suggest some executives see enough benefit in these services to accept the risk of breaching internal policy.
Why staff use them
Among employees who use unapproved AI tools, 24% said limited access to employer-approved products was a factor. Another 21% said unapproved tools were more efficient, while 21% said they did not want their data stored or accessed by their employer.
The survey also points to unease over how AI use is viewed at work. Some 20% of respondents said AI usage could harm career progression, and 19% worried it could raise doubts about their performance or capability.
That concern appears to feed a broader culture of concealment. Some 23% of UK employees said they reduce their own use of AI because they worry about how colleagues or management may perceive them, while 21% said they judge colleagues negatively if they rely heavily on AI to support their workload.
Monitoring is another factor shaping behaviour. The research found that 28% of employees are concerned their employer monitors AI tool usage, adding to distrust around approved systems and potentially pushing staff towards services outside company oversight.
Governance problem
The findings come as businesses try to balance productivity gains from AI tools with concerns over data leakage, compliance and control. Many organisations are introducing approved internal systems alongside policies restricting the use of public tools, but the survey suggests those rules are not being followed consistently.
TrustedTech found that 76% of UK employees acknowledge that using unapproved AI tools poses security or data privacy risks, yet 47% still use them at work. That combination of awareness and continued use suggests risk alone is not enough to change behaviour.
The report also raises questions about leadership example. If senior figures are among the heaviest users of unauthorised tools, companies may find it harder to persuade other employees to follow formal rules or use approved alternatives.
A key finding is the contrast between leaders’ concerns about Shadow AI and their own reported use of it.
“Businesses often assume Shadow AI is a bottom-up problem, but our research shows it is being driven from the top down. Senior leaders are not only the biggest users of unapproved AI tools, they are also knowingly bypassing safeguards because the perceived benefits outweigh the risks. When that behaviour is modelled at the top of an organisation, it becomes significantly harder to enforce governance elsewhere in the business. The findings highlight an urgent need for organisations to rethink how they approach AI governance, with a focus on leadership accountability, clearer usage policies, and improved education around secure and responsible AI adoption,” said Julian Hamood, founder and chief visionary officer at TrustedTech.
The figures add to a wider debate over whether company AI policies are keeping pace with employee behaviour. While many employers have focused on the possibility of junior staff experimenting with public chatbots and text-generation tools, the survey suggests the challenge may be more entrenched among the people responsible for setting policy.
They also indicate that access remains a practical issue. Where approved tools are limited, slow to roll out or seen as less useful, staff may seek alternatives regardless of policy. For companies, that creates a dual challenge: stopping unauthorised use while making approved options practical enough for daily work.
Overall, the research portrays workplace AI use as shaped by pressure, convenience and mistrust as much as by policy. Nearly half of UK employees surveyed said they still use unapproved AI tools at work.
Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue has confirmed they rushed to the Harwell Morrisons at Curie Avenue today (Tuesday, May 26) amid reports of a fire at around midday.
Crews from Didcot, Abingdon and Wantage attended with the blaze focused on a storage building next to the supermarket.
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They used hose reel jets to extinguish the fire and fans to ventilate the smoke, with an investigation into the cause having started.
As spokesperson said: “Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service was called today at 11:57am, sending fire engines from Didcot, Abingdon and Wantage fire stations to Morrisons supermarket, Curie Avenue, Harwell.
“Crews used hose reel jets to extinguish a fire in a storage building next to the supermarket.
“They also used fans to ventilate the building of smoke.
“The cause of the fire is being investigated.”
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A spokesperson for Morrisons supermarket also confirmed that the fire had happened and that the supermarket had “temporarily shut”.
They said: “The store is temporarily closed, whilst the fire brigade complete the necessary checks.”
This comes as temperatures are due to reach 32 degrees Celsius in the hottest part of the day, in an unprecedented May heatwave which is breaking records in Oxfordshire.
Modella Capital bought and rebranded WHSmith’s high street arm to TG Jones last year.
Now, it wants to save Flying Tiger Copenhagen in a deal which would add around 900 stores, including 80 in the UK, to the firm’s growing retail empire, according to The Times.
Flying Tiger, which has a branch in Oxford’s Magdalen Street, sells affordable Scandi‑style homeware, stationery, toys and quirky gifts.
The company reported a turnover of more than £600m in 2024 but it underwent a restructure in 2025, injecting £160m.
READ MORE: Fears for Post Office jobs amid WH Smith successor’s plans
Its thought the deal will expand Modella’s already established reach in 30 European markets, with franchise partners in Israel, Philippines, and Vietnam.
It would mark the latest retail saving acquisition, adding to its string of high street stores, including Claire’s Hobbycraft, and The Original Factory Shop.
However, the private equity firm has been under scrutiny after Claire’s and The Original Factory Shop fell into administration, leading to job loses.
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This comes as there are now fears that as many as 60 Post Offices within TG Jones stores could be closed, including the Oxford store in Cornmarket Street.
However, the firm says these changes restructuring changes are needed to save the high street businesses.
Flying Tiger was founded in the 19080s when its founders began selling umbrellas at a flea market.
Its first retail store opened in Copenhagen in 1995.
Nexer Digital has published research showing that disabled consumers face widespread barriers across retail, financial services and travel, with many abandoning transactions or switching brands when they encounter access problems.
The report found that 87% of disabled consumers cannot complete a typical retail journey independently, while only 13% could complete the full journey without difficulty. Across the three sectors studied, respondents described barriers at the browsing, selection, checkout and post-purchase support stages.
Problems were especially pronounced online. Some 62% of respondents encountered inaccessible website content, while 55% cited confusing navigation and intrusive pop-ups during browsing. Nearly four in five found browsing difficult, and 81% said selecting an item was difficult or impossible.
Checkout emerged as a key point of failure. The findings showed that 81% of disabled consumers struggled to complete transactions, often because of inaccessible CAPTCHA systems or complex verification steps. As a result, 38% abandoned purchases at checkout.
Many respondents said they had to rely on other people to complete ordinary tasks. During browsing, 45% asked someone they knew for help, while 26% switched to a competitor. At the payment stage, 43% relied on others to complete a transaction.
The study suggested many of these issues go unseen by businesses. Only 9% of respondents said they contacted customer support when they faced a problem, and just 4% formally reported an accessibility issue.
Retail impact
Retail was identified as the sector with the highest level of difficulty, with 65% of disabled people reporting barriers over the past year, compared with 33% in financial services. Travel also stood out: 56% of respondents said they were unhappy with their journeys and made far fewer trips than the national average.
In travel, obstacles ranged from booking tools to later stages such as tickets, boarding and wayfinding. Early friction often led people to switch providers, while later problems caused journeys to be abandoned or left passengers dependent on staff.
Nexer Digital said the effects extended beyond convenience or lost sales. Respondents linked accessibility barriers to a loss of independence, dignity and privacy, particularly when they had to share personal or financial information with others to complete a task.
The emotional impact was also significant. The findings showed that 88% of respondents felt frustrated when they encountered accessibility barriers, 69% felt excluded, 54% felt angry and 37% felt anxious.
Hilary Stephenson, Managing Director at Nexer Digital, said: “Too many disabled customers are still being forced to work harder than everyone else just to do ordinary things such as browse, compare, buy, pay and get support afterwards.
“This is not a marginal issue. It is a design failure with real human and commercial consequences. What this research shows clearly is that when accessibility is overlooked, customers do not complain, they leave. And when they leave, they often do not come back.
“Many of the issues we see, from missing alternative text and inaccessible forms to poor colour contrast and keyboard traps, are not new. The issue is not a lack of solutions. It is a lack of prioritisation. Accessibility is still too often treated as an afterthought, when it should be built in from the start.”
Brand risk
The report also pointed to a broader effect on trust and customer retention. It found that 87% of participants said they avoid, or would avoid, a brand after experiencing accessibility issues, while 74% said they have told, or would tell, others to avoid a business.
By contrast, accessible experiences encouraged repeat business. Nexer Digital found that 98% of customers were more likely to buy again from brands that met their access needs, 81% would recommend them to others, and 57% said they would spend more.
Mike Adams, Founder of Purple Tuesday, said: “This report speaks to the lived experience of so many disabled customers. I can see and hear my voice around the unnecessary barriers put in place by businesses who don’t understand the power of the Purple Pound and the straightforward solutions that can be put in place to unlock the disability market.
“It is exactly the reason I set up Purple Tuesday: to support businesses to better understand both digital and physical accessibility and provide disabled people with a good customer experience, which is the key to brand loyalty.
“The report sets out the issues and clear recommendations for businesses wanting to go on their own inclusive journey. As a disabled customer, I am asking you to read and adopt the recommendations. It makes commercial and social common sense.”
The research highlighted examples of businesses making progress on accessibility, including M&S, Primark, Tesco, IKEA, Co-op and Auto Trader. It concluded that disabled consumers continue to face barriers that are predictable, avoidable and widespread across everyday services.
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