The AI Trust Report 2026
UnlikelyAI surveyed 1,000 UK senior leaders to uncover why a lack of trust in AI, particularly in regulated industries, is costing enterprises real value. This report defines the trust ceiling: the point where adoption stops translating into results.
If your AI aren't delivering what you promised, you're in the majority
Here's the data to prove it, and the path out.
What you'll walk away knowing
1. Why the problem you've been solving isn't the actual problem
59% of leaders don't fully trust AI. Only 6% actively distrust it. So where is everyone else? We dig into what's sitting in the middle — and why it matters.
2. The hidden tax on every AI use case
53% of leaders spend as long checking AI as using it. That time isn't showing up in any ROI projection. We break down where it's hitting hardest.
3. Why the ROI story isn't adding up
Only 1 in 5 are seeing significant returns. 43% aren't seeing any. We look at who's getting value, who isn't, and what's different about them.
4. The mindset cost most teams aren't measuring
86% reported a negative impact on how they feel at work — burnout, paralysis, second-guessing their own judgment. But 46% also reported something positive. The picture is more complicated than the headlines suggest.
5. The sector that's winning and losing at the same time
Finance has the highest ROI and the highest burnout. Public sector has the highest distrust. Insurance verifies more than anyone. We compare all five.
6. What would actually unlock trust
99.8% said they'd act differently if AI were accurate, consistent and explainable. Only 2 people out of 1,000 said nothing would change. We asked what that would look like.
The appetite for AI is real, but the trust hasn't caught up
Find out what's standing between regulated industries and AI that actually delivers.
Who is this for
Senior leaders making AI decisions in regulated industries — Heads of AI, Data, CDOs, CTOs, CROs, Compliance leads.
If you're wondering whether your AI experience is normal, this will tell you.
If you need something to take back to your leadership team, this gives you third-party data to point to.
The trust ceiling looks different by sectors
Understand how trust in AI varies across finance, healthcare, insurance, energy, and the public sector.
What's really happening in your industry right now
53% spend as long checking AI outputs as using them
Only 1 in 5 are seeing significant ROI
Using AI at work is taking a psychological toll on senior leaders
Anxiety, burnout, paralysis. The report quantifies what's really happening to the people behind the tools.
What you'll learn from the report
Why your AI ROI is stuck, and it's not what you think
Everyone's using AI. Almost no one is seeing significant returns. The report shows it's not a capability problem or a budget problem. There's a structural ceiling that kicks in the moment trust runs out — and 77% of leaders are hitting it every single week.
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The hidden cost that doesn't appear in any business case
Senior leaders are spending almost as long checking AI as using it. That verification overhead is invisible in every ROI calculation, but it's where the value disappears. The report shows exactly where it hits hardest, and which sectors are paying the highest price.
Why the people who know AI best trust it least
78% of heads of AI are the most anxious when their AI work will be seen by others. Only 11% board members are the least likely to see significant ROI. The report explains the credibility gap between the people building AI and the people funding it, and what it means for your organisation.
See how your AI experience compares
1,000 senior leaders already know where they stand. Do you?
About the research
This report is based on independent research conducted by Censuswide in Nov-Dec 2025. All respondents are senior leaders with budget authority or decision-making responsibility for AI in their organisation.
Sample
1,000 senior leaders across five regulated industries — finance, healthcare, insurance, public sector and energy
Criteria
All respondents hold budget authority or decision-making responsibility for AI
Geography
United Kingdom
Fieldwork
Conducted by Censuswide, an independent research consultancy
Method
Online quantitative survey
Date
Nove - Dec 2025