This photo illustration shows the social media platform X (former Twitter) app on a smartphone in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on September 18, 2024 Copyright AFP/File Allison Joyce
Adobe Express has launched an AI report to assess how the technology is affecting lives at both work and at home. Currently, 40% of Uk citizens are now using AI both at work and in their personal lives, with 47% claiming AI saves them up to 4 hours per week on home tasks, and 12% are even saving more than 10+ hours per week at work.
Adobe Express surveyed over 1,000 UK adults. The result is a look at how the nation is embracing AI to boost creativity, streamline everyday tasks, and save time and money. For example, 72% reported a moderate to significant productivity boost from using AI.
From recipe generation to birthday invitations, AI is being used in a number of areas. More than half of people (51%) said they have saved money using AI, with a quarter saving up to £50 a month.
The survey found that people commonly use AI for:
- Information research (65%)
- Smart communication (29%)
- Entertainment (28%)
- Personal organisation & fitness tracking (41%)
Geography
In cities like Southampton, Sheffield, and Liverpool, AI is being used to support creative writing, health tracking, and online learning. People in Glasgow are saving the most money with AI, while Southampton leads in time saved.
In cities like Belfast, Birmingham, and Cardiff, trust and easeofuse were top concerns. Industries such as science, pharmaceuticals, and creative arts cited a lack of education as the key reason they avoid AI.
Work
At work, AI’s biggest impact is on efficiency. UK professionals are using AI to:
- Design & content creation (70%)
- Research & information gathering (56%)
- Data analysis (46%)
- Project management (40%)
- Communication (22%)
- Software development (18%)
Industries across the UK are adopting AI in varied ways to suit their workflows. In marketing, advertising, and PR, 60% of professionals use AI both at work and home mostly for creative tasks. In business, consulting, and management, 75% use it for data analysis, while 100% of legal professionals rely on it for content creation and communication.
In IT, 73% use AI for sourcing information and 47% for software development. Sectors like environment and agriculture, and hospitality and events, report the biggest time savings, with 50% in each saving over 10 hours a week. However, challenges remain, 100% of those in science and pharmaceuticals avoid AI due to lack of training, and privacy concerns affect up to 100% in marketing.
Despite the clear benefits, adoption barriers remain. The survey shows that 31% are concerned about data privacy and 27% struggle with understanding or using AI tools. It will be interesting to see the extent that this shifts in subsequent years.
