Shadow AI Becomes Common As UK Tech Workers Face Pressure From Deadlines, Report Finds

UK tech workers are using artificial intelligence tools that their employers have not approved, even though many accept the security risks. New data from STEM workforce consultancy SThree shows that pressure to deliver work faster sits behind this behaviour.

The STEM Workforce Report surveyed more than 5,000 professionals across leading economies. In the UK, 81% of tech workers said they understand the dangers linked to unapproved AI tools. Even so, 50% said they use these tools every week, and 23% said they use them once a day.

Many workers feel trapped between deadlines and slow internal systems. SThree found that 39% of UK respondents depend on unauthorised AI tools to speed up tasks, while 17% admitted they would struggle to meet deadlines without them. These figures come from SThree’s own survey data.

How Often Is ‘Shadow AI’ Used At Work?

Microsoft research reports 71% of UK employees have used unapproved consumer AI tools at work. 51% said they continue to do so every week.

This behaviour has become known as “Shadow AI”. Workers use familiar tools from their personal lives, often without telling IT teams. Microsoft found that 41% of employees use these tools because they already know how they work, and 28% said their employer does not supply an approved option.

The same research shows what people use these tools for. 49% use them to draft or reply to work messages. Around 40% use them to draft reports or presentations, and 22% use them for finance related tasks.

What Risks Do Workers And Firms Accept?

Security and privacy risks are really what the biggest issue is here. SThree reported that 79% of UK tech professionals accept that unapproved AI tools pose serious or moderate threats to data security and privacy.

More than half of them said the dangers outweigh the rewards. Even so, usage continues. SThree found that 22% of respondents see approved systems as inefficient, while 27% describe Shadow AI tools as faster and easier to use.

Microsoft’s research shows a gap in awareness. Only 32% of UK employees said they worry about the privacy of company or customer data entered into consumer AI tools. Just 29% expressed concern about the security of their organisation’s IT systems. Microsoft said this leaves firms open to data leaks, regulatory breaches and cyberattacks.

How Much Time And Money Does AI Save?

The reason these AI tools are used so much boils down to the time saved when using them. Microsoft found that workplace users of generative AI assistants save an average of 7.75 hours each week on administrative tasks.

Dr Chris Brauer, Director of Innovation at Goldsmiths, University of London, calculated that this adds up to 12.1 billion hours saved across the UK economy each year. He values that time at around £208 billion. Microsoft reported a similar figure of around £207 billion.

AI use appears strongest in IT and telecoms, sales, media and marketing, architecture and engineering… even finance and insurance. When asked how they would use saved time, 37% of workers said they would improve work life balance. Another 31% said they would learn new skills and 28% said they would spend time on more meaningful tasks.

Rakesh Patel, Managing Director of UK and Rest of Europe at SThree, said: “AI has become a double-edged sword for the UK’s tech workforce – vital for productivity, yet risky when used outside secure systems. The rise of ‘Shadow AI’ isn’t about carelessness but rather a response to pressure. When official tools are too slow or restrictive, people naturally look for faster ways to get the job done, putting companies at risk.

“The challenge for employers is to bridge that gap by giving teams access to secure, efficient AI that keeps pace with modern workloads. Productivity shouldn’t come at the expense of security – but right now, too many workers feel forced to choose between the two and there is real risk of more data breaches to come.”