Eighty-one per cent rank AI as a top priority, but regulation and ROI pressure create a more constrained path forward.
UK CEOs are among the most focused on AI globally but increasing regulatory pressure and investment concerns are reshaping how the technology is deployed, according to new research from Dataiku.
The Global AI Confessions Report: CEO Edition 2026, based on a survey of 900 CEOs conducted by Harris Poll, shows that 81% of UK CEOs rank AI strategy as a top or high priority – the highest of any region surveyed (vs. 73% globally).
However, the research shows a gap is emerging between AI priority and AI success, with CEOs increasingly facing both a complex regulatory environment and increased scrutiny over return on investment.
Over three-quarters (77%) of UK CEOs say they are more concerned about over-investing in AI than under-investing (vs. 65% globally).
Over half of UK CEOs (51%) say they have delayed AI initiatives due to regulatory uncertainty, up from 26% in 2025 – one of the most significant increases across all regions.
Despite these roadblocks, UK CEOs report some of the highest levels of global confidence in their AI strategy, with 89% describing themselves as “extremely confident” (vs. 81% overall).
A more constrained path to scaling AI
CEO involvement in AI-related decisions remains steady, with over two-thirds (71%) reporting active participation in such decisions within their companies. This reinforces that accountability remains at the top, even as execution becomes more complex.
“Every enterprise now has access to powerful AI. The differentiator is whether they can turn that power into reliable business decisions,” said Florian Douetteau, CEO and co-founder, Dataiku.
“That is the cognitive dissonance happening in the C-suite right now: CEOs are staking their jobs on AI, but still questioning its outputs and struggling to control the systems they say they own. The companies that close that gap will be the ones building AI worth being accountable for. That is what separates a bet from a business.”
In 2026, UK leaders are balancing high ambition with growing regulatory and operational constraints, leading to a more measured approach to scaling AI across the enterprise.
