The UK AI permission gap: full research findings
54.5% of UK desk workers lack clear AI guidelines. Read the full Pollfish survey analysis.
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What this tool does
This assessment evaluates your organisation's AI readiness across five dimensions: policy, data, technical infrastructure, people and governance. Answer 15 quick questions to discover your readiness level and get tailored recommendations for each dimension.
Unlike generic AI assessments, this tool is designed specifically for UK small and medium-sized businesses. Results are benchmarked against findings from our original Pollfish survey of 200 UK desk workers, giving you real context for where your organisation stands.
Takes under 5 minutes to complete. All answers are processed locally in your browser. No email required.
Assess your AI readiness
Answer 15 quick questions to discover how prepared your organisation is for AI adoption. This assessment evaluates five dimensions that our research shows are critical for successful, responsible AI use in UK businesses.
54.5%
of UK workers lack clear AI policy
32%
use AI without employer knowledge
63%
use AI at work weekly
Question 1 of 15
Does your organisation have a formal AI use policy?
Your AI readiness level
Developing
Score: 300
Policy Readiness
300Data Readiness
280Technical Readiness
310People Readiness
270Governance Readiness
290Your organisation has established foundations for AI readiness.
The 5 readiness levels
Organisations progress through five levels as their AI readiness matures. Each level reflects increasing capability across policy, data, technical, people and governance dimensions:
| Level | Score Range | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Not Started | 100-179 | AI use is unstructured and ungoverned; no formal policy, limited data practices, minimal awareness |
| Exploring | 180-259 | Growing awareness of AI potential; some early steps taken but practices are inconsistent |
| Developing | 260-339 | Meaningful foundations in place; policies forming, data improving, skills growing |
| Advancing | 340-419 | Strong readiness across most dimensions; clear policies, capable people, solid governance |
| Leading | 420-500 | Exceptional readiness with mature practices; well-positioned to lead in responsible AI adoption |
Understanding the five dimensions
Policy Readiness
Does your organisation have a clear AI use policy? Our research found that 54.5% of UK desk workers lack clear enabling AI guidelines, leaving employees to make up their own rules.
Data Readiness
Is your data clean, accessible and well-governed? AI is only as good as the data it works with. Poor data quality is the number one reason AI projects fail to deliver value.
Technical Readiness
Can your systems support AI integration? From cloud infrastructure to existing tool adoption, technical foundations determine what AI initiatives are practical for your business.
People Readiness
Are your people confident and equipped to work with AI? Our research shows workers with enabling AI policies are 3x more likely to feel positive about AI at work.
Governance Readiness
Do you have oversight and risk management for AI? Without governance, shadow AI thrives. 32% of UK workers use AI without their employer knowing, creating unmanaged risk.
How this assessment works
This AI readiness assessment is designed for UK small and medium-sized businesses. It evaluates your organisation across five dimensions that research and practitioner experience show are critical for successful AI adoption.
Assessment structure
- 15 questions across 5 dimensions
- 5 answer options per question (readiness levels 1-5)
- 100-500 point scoring scale
- Instant results with per-dimension recommendations
How results are calculated
Each answer contributes between 100 and 500 points. Your overall score is the average of all 15 answers. Dimension scores show your average within each of the five areas, helping you pinpoint where to focus improvement efforts first.
Backed by original UK research: Your results include context from our Pollfish survey
of 200 UK desk workers, showing how your readiness compares to the current state of AI adoption in UK
workplaces. Read the full research findings.
When to use this tool
- Before investing in AI - Understand your readiness gaps before committing budget to AI tools or projects
- Policy development - Identify where your AI policy needs strengthening (pair with our AI Policy Template)
- Board and leadership alignment - Share results with decision-makers to build the case for AI readiness investment
- Progress tracking - Re-assess quarterly to measure improvement over time
- Risk identification - Spot governance and shadow AI risks before they become problems
- Regulatory preparation - With EU AI Act high-risk obligations phasing in from August 2026 and the UK Data (Use and Access) Act tightening record-keeping requirements, understanding your readiness now helps avoid costly catch-up later
What to do with your results
Your results are a starting point, not a final verdict. Here is how to turn your scores into action:
1. Focus on your weakest dimension
Your lowest-scoring dimension is your biggest risk area. A single weak link in governance or policy can undermine strong technical capabilities. Start there.
2. Pick one quick win
Identify one practical action you can take this month. Drafting an AI policy, auditing current AI tool usage, or booking a team training session are all good starting points.
3. Reassess in 90 days
AI readiness is not a one-off exercise. Reassess quarterly to track progress, identify new gaps and adjust priorities as your organisation and the AI market evolve.
Frequently asked questions
An AI readiness assessment is a structured evaluation that measures how prepared your organisation
is to adopt and benefit from artificial intelligence. It examines your capabilities across multiple
dimensions including policy, data quality, technical infrastructure, people skills and governance to
identify strengths and gaps. This assessment is specifically designed for UK SMEs and takes under 5 minutes.
This assessment takes approximately 3-5 minutes to complete. You will answer 15 questions across
five key dimensions: Policy Readiness, Data Readiness, Technical Readiness, People Readiness and
Governance Readiness. Each question has five options reflecting different maturity levels, from
early-stage practices to advanced readiness.
The five readiness levels are: Not Started (100-179) where AI practices are
unstructured and ungoverned; Exploring (180-259) with growing awareness but
inconsistent practices; Developing (260-339) with meaningful foundations forming;
Advancing (340-419) with strong practices across most dimensions; and
Leading (420-500) representing exceptional readiness with mature practices across all areas.
This assessment is specifically designed for UK SMEs and backed by original research surveying 200
UK desk workers. Unlike enterprise-focused tools from Microsoft or Cisco, it focuses on the
practical challenges facing small and medium-sized businesses. Results are instant, free and
require no email registration. It also provides UK-specific benchmark context that generic tools lack.
This assessment is informed by Red Eagle Tech's original Pollfish survey of 200 UK desk-based and
hybrid workers at companies with 250 or more employees, conducted in February 2026. Key findings
include that 54.5% lack a clear enabling AI policy, 32% use AI without their employer's knowledge,
and 63% use AI at work weekly. You can
read the full research findings.
Your results include specific recommendations for each of the five dimensions based on your scores.
We recommend: starting with the dimension where you scored lowest, as this represents your biggest
risk area; sharing results with your leadership team to build alignment; for policy readiness, our
free AI Policy Template is
a practical first step; and for a tailored action plan,
book a free consultation with our team.
Yes. Your assessment responses are processed entirely in your browser and are not stored on our
servers. We do not collect personal information during the assessment. Your results are generated
instantly and are visible only to you.
AI readiness matters because unprepared organisations face real risks: shadow AI use (32% of UK
workers use AI tools without employer knowledge), data privacy violations, missed productivity
gains, and talent loss (66.5% of workers say employer AI approach influences job decisions). A
structured assessment helps identify and address these risks before they become problems. The UK
government estimates AI could boost the economy by up to £400bn by 2030, but only prepared
organisations will capture that value.
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