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Nearly six in 10( 58 %) leaders expressed concern in March, up from 51 % in February, marking the highest level recorded to date.

The findings come from Expleo’ s AI Pulse sentiment tracker, which measures attitudes towards AI by combining levels of worry, excitement, trust and confidence into a single score. The index also tracks AI-related cybersecurity sentiment, which increased in March and placed the issue at the centre of the latest data.

Jeff Hoyle, EVP and MD UK & North America at Expleo, said:“ After a run of high-profile cyberattacks, it’ s no surprise leaders are looking at AI and asking whether it makes things safer or risks widening the attack surface. But the risk here isn’ t just data breaches. It’ s sensitive data leaking into AI tools and weak controls around who can access what.”

Despite rising concern around cybersecurity, overall sentiment towards AI remains positive. The UK’ s AI Pulse score held steady at 64 in March, unchanged from February, although down from a high of 74 in September 2025. This suggests that while leaders recognise the opportunities presented by AI, they are also becoming more aware of the associated risks.

Hoyle added:“ We’ re already seeing organisations take action. Many are putting clearer policies in place, tightening controls and strengthening testing to make sure AI systems cannot be exploited. This type of flattening off in positive sentiment combined with a greater awareness of risk is normal as new technology moves from early adoption to widespread implementation. It suggests we’ re moving into a more stable phase where leaders are more focused on what it takes to successfully deploy AI.”

Trust in organisations to use AI responsibly also remains stable, with 70 % of UK business leaders expressing confidence in ethical deployment. A similar proportion( 71 %) said they are excited about AI’ s potential, indicating continued optimism about its benefits. •

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