Businesses aren't investing in good enough technology, and employees are voting with their feet

New research has highlighted the need for UK IT decision-makers to invest in emerging technologies and digital skills, or they run the risk of losing their competitiveness.

The study commissioned by Microsoft found two in five ITDMs feel their organization is falling behind due to insufficient investment in new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, with workers feeling the effects of lacking investments more than anybody.

A further nine in 10 (89%) believe that they would be able to use AI more if they had access to the right supportive tools.

Businesses risk losing workers if they don’t have the right tech

Based on responses from more than 600 ITDMs and over 1,000 employees, the study revealed widespread worker dissatisfaction when it comes to their companies’ stance on artificial intelligence.

A quarter said that their PCs aren’t powerful enough to run AI, limiting their ability to benefit from the tech that promises to boost efficiency for both workers and their employers. This rises to 35% among Gen Z employees.

Beyond the realms of AI, 29% believe that the computer is slowing down their work, with one in four (26%) stating that it regularly crashes or freezes.

While PC shipments suffered in the quarters following the pandemic, the market has shown signs of resurgence, with industry experts claiming that emerging AI-capable devices (such as Copilot+ PCs) will see strong growth.

Only one in three (36%) workers feel that they have the right skills to use AI effectively, with older workers feeling less confident.

Consequentially, one-fifth (19%) of workers are now planning to move. However, three in five of the workers currently looking to change jobs say that they’d likely stay longer if their current employer helped them develop more digital skills.

Microsoft UK Head of Surface Commercial, Alan Slothower, commented: “The rapid adoption of AI in the workplace necessitates higher specification technology and digital upskilling. For IT decision-makers, it is imperative to prioritise and provide AI-ready PCs and effective training.”

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