The riskiest users of AI are the very executives responsible for governance, according to a new survey from La Fosse, combining high usage, weak oversight, and a tendency to ignore expert advice, leaving firms badly exposed.

Polling more than 2,000 UK tech workers, the recruitment agency’s AI in the Workforce report found more than half (52%) reported AI decisions are being made without the right expertise, with 93% of C-level leaders admitting they have made AI-informed decisions based on inaccurate data.

More worrying, nearly three-quarters (73%) of C-suite execs said they had uploaded confidential company data into AI tools, almost double the rate of entry-level staff (42%), while 78% of business leaders rely on AI for work they don’t know how to do, compared with fewer than half of junior and mid-level staff.

Unsurprisingly, the fallout is severe, with 40% of executives reporting serious business impacts from their AI errors, compared with 32% of entry-level staff and just 11% of mid-level employees.

La Fosse said the study clearly demonstrates a compliance blind spot, with a cocktail of responsibility, autonomy, and time pressure at senior levels is translating into greater exposure to AI risks. 

However, as even most business leaders describe are “very confident” in their own AI ability, they are aware of gaps that require specialist support, with 80% agreeing that a dedicated AI specialist is needed at Board level.

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La Fosse warned that, with specialist expertise lacking across the broader workforce, firms leveraging AI as a core part of their digital transformation should recognise that senior leaders and directors need additional support.

“The people with the greatest autonomy over AI are also the ones most exposed to its risks,” said Ollie Whiting, La Fosse CEO.

“Concentrated at the top of organisations, this risk is often hidden behind confidence and speed, while gaps in governance, skills, and accountability widen beneath the surface. Organisations must ensure leaders have the right expertise before these decisions cause real business impact.”