Why 54% of UK firms lack AI strategy for agentic workflows

According to Computer Weekly (2025), just 46% of leaders say their organisation has a formal AI strategy in place - meaning 54% of UK firms remain unprepared for the autonomous AI revolution transforming business operations. This strategic gap becomes critical as agentic AI workflows promise to eliminate the repetitive tasks consuming valuable employee time, yet most organisations lack the frameworks needed to harness this technology effectively.

The productivity paradox: wanting automation without strategy

The research reveals a striking disconnect between desire and preparation. According to Computer Weekly (2025), two-thirds (67%) of leaders and nearly half (46%) of employees believe they would be more productive if AI could autonomously handle many of their time-consuming or repetitive tasks. Yet the same study shows only 46% of organisations have established formal AI strategies.

This gap creates operational risk for SMEs. A typical 50-person professional services firm might spend 200 hours monthly on invoice processing, client follow-ups, and administrative tasks. Without strategic frameworks for agentic AI implementation, these businesses continue bearing unnecessary labour costs whilst competitors deploy autonomous workflows to capture market advantage.

Chris Brauer, Director of innovation at Goldsmiths, University of London, who led research on agentic AI readiness across UK organisations, identifies this strategic vacuum as the primary barrier preventing businesses from realising automation benefits.

Cost reduction demands clash with implementation uncertainty

According to Computer Weekly (2025), almost three-quarters (71%) of survey participants actively seek cost reductions through automation, whilst two-thirds (64%) pursue efficiency and productivity gains through AI-led workflows and processes. These figures demonstrate clear business appetite for agentic AI adoption.

However, implementation uncertainty creates hesitation. SMEs often lack technical expertise to evaluate agentic AI platforms, establish governance protocols, or design human oversight mechanisms. A manufacturing company with 30 employees might recognise that autonomous inventory management could reduce ordering errors and free up staff time, yet struggle to identify which systems integrate with existing ERP software or how to maintain quality control.

The absence of structured approaches means businesses either delay adoption entirely or implement solutions without proper risk management, potentially creating operational vulnerabilities.

The scaling challenge: from pilot to enterprise deployment

Even organisations attempting agentic AI implementation often struggle with scaling beyond initial pilot projects. The research demonstrates strong business cases - Elite Business Magazine (2025) reports that Home & Roost's AI-driven system delivered operating cost reductions of 30 percent and enhanced customer response capabilities by 50 percent.

Yet translating pilot success into enterprise-wide deployment requires systematic approaches most SMEs lack. A consultancy might successfully automate client intake processes for one service line, reducing processing time from 45 minutes to 8 minutes per enquiry. However, expanding this automation across multiple service lines, integrating with different client management systems, and maintaining consistent quality standards demands strategic planning frameworks.

Financial IT (2025) illustrates the potential scale - platforms processing over $5 billion in loan applications demonstrate how agentic AI can transform entire business functions. However, achieving such scale requires methodical implementation strategies addressing technical integration, staff training, and governance protocols.

Building agentic AI readiness: practical implementation steps

SMEs can bridge the strategy gap through structured approaches that balance ambition with practical constraints. The first step involves identifying high-impact, low-risk workflows suitable for autonomous operation. Customer service enquiries, appointment scheduling, and invoice processing represent ideal starting points because they involve repeatable tasks with clear success metrics.

Darren Hardman, Microsoft UK CEO, emphasises agentic AI's role in removing digital drudgery for workers. SMEs should begin with comprehensive workflow audits, documenting time spent on repetitive tasks and identifying automation opportunities. A 20-person marketing agency might discover that social media scheduling, client reporting, and lead qualification consume 40 hours weekly - representing £2,000 monthly in labour costs suitable for automation.

The second critical step establishes governance frameworks before deployment. This includes defining human oversight requirements, establishing quality control checkpoints, and creating escalation procedures for autonomous systems encountering unexpected scenarios. Yousef Khalili, Global chief transformation officer & CEO MEA at Quant, advocates for digital employee technology with robust customer experience safeguards.

AspireVita's methodology emphasises gradual scaling through pilot validation. Rather than attempting enterprise-wide transformation, successful SMEs implement agentic AI workflows incrementally, measuring performance against baseline metrics before expanding deployment. This approach reduces implementation risk whilst building internal expertise and confidence.

The third essential element involves staff preparation and change management. Autonomous workflows succeed when employees understand their evolving roles alongside AI agents. Training programmes should focus on oversight responsibilities, exception handling, and strategic work that remains human-centric. Financial IT (2024) notes that approximately 50% of small business loan applicants fail to receive full capital requirements - highlighting how agentic AI can address service gaps whilst requiring human judgment for complex decisions.

The strategic gap affecting 54% of UK organisations represents both challenge and opportunity. SMEs implementing structured approaches to agentic AI workflows position themselves for significant competitive advantage, whilst those delaying strategic planning risk falling behind more agile competitors. Success requires balancing automation ambition with practical implementation realities.

Sources

• Few UK organisations ready to seize agentic AI opportunity
• Global M&A industry trends: 2026 outlook
• How Agentic AI can revolutionise your customer experience
• The AI-native insurer: Five strategies to transform risk into resilience
• Kaaj Raises $3.8M to Expand Access to Capital for Small Businesses With New Agentic AI Credit Intelligence Platform

AspireVita helps UK businesses turn AI strategy into working systems. As an official Strategic AI Partner of the National AI Centre, Telford, we deliver end-to-end solutions across AI strategy, agentic AI development, data engineering, and software engineering. Our products - AspireBlueprint for advisory automation, AspireFluent for voice AI agents, and AspireDossier for sales intelligence - are built for businesses ready to move beyond pilots into production. Start a conversation.