Pax8 Survey: UK SMBs Lack AI Governance and Budget Control
A Pax8 survey reported by TechRadar found 24% of UK SMBs confirmed unauthorized AI tool use in the past six months.
A Pax8 survey reported by TechRadar on October 14, 2026 found that 24% of UK small and medium-sized businesses confirmed unauthorized AI tools were used within their organizations in the past six months.
The survey also showed that only 23% of UK SMBs have a documented procedure for reviewing internally built AI, compared with 32% in Germany and 36% in the US. Just 12% have a dedicated AI budget, and 19% cannot separate AI spending from other technology spending.
Cost control is another pressure point: 39% of UK SMBs have been billed more than expected for AI usage, and only 16% are confident they can measure AI return on investment, versus 45% in Sweden.
On development, 54% of UK SMBs are building their own AI, compared with 81% in the US, according to the survey.
Quick answers
How many UK SMBs confirmed unauthorized AI tool use?
24% of UK SMBs confirmed unauthorized AI tools were used within their organizations in the past six months, according to the Pax8 survey.
What percentage of UK SMBs have a dedicated AI budget?
Only 12% of UK SMBs have a dedicated AI budget, and 19% cannot separate AI spending from other technology spending.
How confident are UK SMBs in measuring AI ROI?
Only 16% of UK SMBs are confident they can measure AI return on investment, compared with 45% in Sweden.