Seven in 10 UK bosses believe the rise of AI will require them to work more closely with their people, finds Hemsley Fraser survey
London, 27 July 2026… The assumption that AI will lead to a more automated, less human workforce is proving misguided, with seven in 10 (73%) UK business leaders believing that they will need to work more closely with their employees as AI takes hold, not less.
This is according to new research across 1,000 UK business decision makers by global learning and people development partner Hemsley Fraser which finds that rather than distancing leaders from their teams, AI adoption is amplifying the need for active, present, human-centred leadership.
A clear majority of survey respondents (60%) are basing business decisions on a blend of AI and human instinct or experience, recognising that AI will always have blind spots. Meanwhile, just one quarter (26%) rely primarily on data and AI analysis only and 14% on gut feel alone, saying that AI models can’t understand context or ethics.
Yet not everyone feels equipped for the AI age. 39% of business leaders say they wish they had developed technology skills earlier in their career (the single most wished-for skill) ahead of leadership (29%) and professional networking (29%). Women feel this gap more acutely than men (44% vs 36%).
However, the desire for a stronger technology grounding may be misplaced. When asked what they value most in new hires and colleagues the same bosses cited the ability to balance digital-technical skills with human-social ones (28%), followed by people skills (24%) and adaptability (23%).
There is some confusion however, as to how organisations should best adapt for the AI world, with 28% saying their biggest obstacle to investing in skills is not knowing which capabilities to upskill their workforce with as new technologies arrive. A further 27% struggle to identify the skills needed for different roles, and 25% are unsure what skills their organisation needs to cope with AI at all.
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Despite this uncertainty, AI confidence is holding, with 62% of business leaders feeling more secure in their role than they did a year ago. Additionally, 79% report that AI is already valuable within their organisation compared to 72% agreeing with this point in 2025.
“The challenge is not whether or how to engage with AI, it is knowing how to build the human foundations that allow it to succeed,” said Lynsey Whitmarsh, CEO, at Hemsley Fraser.
“The organisations that will win are not the ones with the most AI tools, but the ones who are also doubling down on the human qualities that technology cannot match: communication, coaching, and context, and the human behavioural side of the technology transformation.”
About Hemsley Fraser
Hemsley Fraser is a full-service learning and people development partner. They enable organisations to quickly activate change and realise their business goals through a mix of transformative learning programmes, a flexible technology platform, and a complete suite of services. With a long-standing reputation as a world-class provider of engaging learning and development, they are especially noted for their leadership development, engaging programmes, learning services, and global-scale strategic solutions.
Drawing on over 30 years of expertise, sector insights and partnering, Hemsley Fraser delivers a holistic, blended, agile, and human-first, digital-enabled approach to learning & talent development. As a result, customers achieve transformative L&D outcomes, wherever learners are located and at a pace that meets the fast-changing demands of today’s working environments.