UK organisations are set to increase AI investment by more than 25% in 2025, according to data from the latest Freshworks AI Workplace report.

The new report also found that over half of employees now consider AI as a necessary tool (61%), leading to an expected increase in AI investment across a majority of organisations (54%) during 2025, an average increase of 29%.

The increase in AI investment across organisations reflects the increasingly pivotal role the technology is having on business success. Just 4% of UK organisations plan to decrease investment levels this year.

Currently, 74% of UK organisations believe IT vendor pricing is correct. This level of accessibility of AI tools with limitless potential will help organisations increase spending levels in 2025.

AI’s impact at work therefore appears that it is only going to increase and spending levels are expected to produce greater RoI levels as employee experience continues to improve.

Organisations are expected to increase AI investment in 2025, as a combination of accessibility and the technology’s impact continue to rise.

The expected investment surge arrives after 72% of UK workers felt positively about the impact AI has had on their workload. This positive employee experience will be a key driver for increased AI investments in the future.

Employers are now expecting employees to be proficient in everything AI-related. 63% of organisations are willing to invest in AI upskilling courses for employees this year as well.

AI is now more widely used and accessible than ever before. Organisations are now feeling the impact it is having on productivity, employee experience and capabilities. 80% of UK workers now consider it a powerful tool, whilst 64% of employees now describe AI tools.

Recommended reading

• ROI on AI is Down Despite Continued Adoption
• AI Return on Investment Reached Just 2.5% Last Year
• Companies Finally See a High ROI from AI Investment in CX
• Report: More AI Training Leads to Higher ROI

The increase in AI investment could spell good news for the employee experience as tools become more readily available to make their working lives smarter and more efficient.

“The significant jump in AI investment by UK organisations underscores the transformative impact AI is having on business operations and employee experiences,” Ian Tickle, senior vice president and general manager international at Freshworks, said.

“As both the accessibility and resulting benefits of AI tools continue to increase, businesses across the UK are now ramping up investment levels to deliver them even greater returns.

“We’ve seen the positive impact our AI-powered solutions have on organisations across all sectors – including helping businesses streamline their operations, improve productivity, and ultimately provide better services to their customers.

“Our uncomplicated solutions are powerful yet easy to implement, easy to use, and easy to configure – and are built to make a real difference in weeks, not months, let alone years.”