UK workers spend £1 billion of their own money on AI tools, Deloitte finds

One in six UK workers pays for AI tools with their own money, costing nearly £1 billion annually, according to Deloitte research published Wednesday. The inaugural GenAI Workforce Survey found two-thirds of workers have tried tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, with nearly a quarter using them daily. Seventeen percent pay for at least one tool themselves, and 31 percent use AI without employer knowledge, a practice called shadow AI. Workers save an average of 70 minutes weekly using AI for information searches, email drafting, and summaries. Deloitte's Paul Lee noted AI use remains basic, urging organizations to move beyond tool access and focus on guided, purposeful implementation. Ipsos surveyed 25,000 workers for the report.