UK business leaders are increasingly outsourcing their judgement to AI, with six in 10 (62 per cent) bosses saying they use AI to make the majority of their decisions, according to new research from data streaming pioneer Confluent.
The ‘Quick Thinking 2026’ report, based on a survey of 200 UK CEOs, MDs, and C-level executives, examines how UK leaders are using data and AI to support the decision making process, and the impact this is having on business confidence.
The research reveals that 70 per cent of UK leaders now second-guess their own judgement when it conflicts with AI recommendations, while nearly two-thirds (65 per cent) say decision-making has become less collaborative since adopting AI. Almost half (46 per cent) now rely more on AI than their colleagues’ advice.
Alarmingly, business leaders are also using AI to guide some of their most sensitive decisions, including:
- Whether to use AI (47 per cent)
- When to implement AI (33 per cent)
- Workforce issues such as hiring and firing (27 per cent)
- People management (25 per cent)
While 79 per cent trust AI to help them make complex decisions, confidence depends heavily on data quality. Nearly all UK leaders (91 per cent) say they would feel more confident using AI if it was powered by real-time data that reflects what is happening across their business at that moment. To address this, 67 per cent are planning to invest in more data streaming technologies, helping feed AI with more useful, and accurate, business insights.
Commenting on these findings, Richard Jones, VP Northern Europe, Confluent, said: “It’s easy to see why so many UK leaders are leaning on AI when making high-pressure decisions. When the stakes are high, AI can feel like a neutral voice that processes information quickly and offers clear recommendations.
“The risk is when that reliance turns into blind trust,” he says. “AI can only work with the data it’s given, and when that data is incomplete or out of date, the consequences can be serious. That’s why it’s so encouraging to see businesses investing heavily in data. If leaders want AI to make informed decisions, it needs an accurate, real-time view of what’s really happening across the business. Without that, AI can sound knowledgeable, but it won’t be truly intelligent.”
To find out more about real-time data and business decision making, download the Confluent report here.
