A major new UK study has revealed a widening perception gap around artificial intelligence – with manufacturing and operational environments emerging as some of the sectors most likely to experience disruption as AI initiatives uncover underlying weaknesses.
According to the latest annual technology survey from UK software firm, Propel Tech, which works with businesses across the UK manufacturing sector, four out of five early-career professionals (80%) believe AI will replace people in most areas of work, compared with just 65% of senior leaders.
Now in its third year, the survey gathered responses from more than 1,000 professionals across sectors, regions and levels of seniority, providing insight into how AI is being experienced across the UK workforce and where tensions are emerging.
Manufacturing and traditional industries occupy a critical middle ground between high-confidence technology sectors and high-anxiety public services.
Respondents in manufacturing are particularly likely to report that artificial intelligence initiatives expose underlying data and process weaknesses, reinforcing perceptions of disruption and organisational fragility.
Around 70% of manufacturing respondents believe artificial intelligence will replace roles, while concern about harm sits between 65% and 70%, reflecting a cautious but pragmatic outlook on adoption
The findings suggest that in operational environments, artificial intelligence is not just a technology shift, it is a diagnostic tool revealing structural readiness gaps. Across sectors, the study highlights a clear divide between how AI is understood at different levels of organisations.
Early-career professionals consistently view AI as something deeply personal, affecting wellbeing, work quality and long-term employability. Senior leaders, by contrast, are more likely to frame AI as a strategic capability focused on analytics, efficiency and control.
David Ritchie, Founder of Propel Tech, says: “The issue isn’t whether AI is happening, it clearly is. The challenge is how it’s being introduced, and who feels involved in shaping it.”
Geography adds another layer to the perception gap, revealing uneven exposure to AI across the UK workforce.
While four in five professionals in the South report working on AI projects, exposure drops across the North and Midlands and falls further in Wales and Scotland, leaving up to a third of workers in some regions with little direct experience.
Where AI projects deliver clear results, confidence tends to follow, but where initiatives struggle or expose data weaknesses, anxiety rises. The research also shows clear differences in how sectors define the role of software.
Manufacturing organisations are most likely to view software as a driver of operational efficiency and cost savings, with analytics playing a secondary role, reinforcing the sector’s focus on performance, margins and resilience
This contrasts with technology firms, which see software as strategic infrastructure, and public sector organisations, which prioritise trust and reliability.
Andy Brown, Co-Founder at Propel Tech, says: “As AI adoption accelerates, the lesson for industry is clear: closing the perception gap is as important as improving the technology itself. Operational environments need AI that is grounded in real workflows and data realities, not just strategy, if organisations want to build trust and deliver results.”
