UK tech workers doubt MPs understand AI's real impact

A new Teneo study finds that two-thirds of UK tech workers believe politicians lack a real understanding of artificial intelligence, raising concerns about the quality of public discourse and regulatory preparedness. Specifically, 64% of tech professionals surveyed say the public debate about AI is poorly informed, while 66% believe people would be far more worried if they fully grasped what AI can do. The research highlights a disconnect: MPs tend to discuss fraud (22%) and loss of control (24%) far more than job displacement (15%) or impacts on creative industries (13%), despite workers ranking job replacement as a top concern.

The report warns that the next few months and years will determine whether Britain becomes a leading AI nation or falls behind the US and others. The UK currently sits in a tricky middle ground—between the US's aggressive investment-driven strategy and the EU's heavily regulated approach. Interestingly, the strongest driver for AI adoption among politicians is its potential to help the NHS with diagnosis, triage, and treatments (64% cited this as the most persuasive argument). Teneo's CEO Andrew Feldman urges AI companies and policymakers to focus less on hype and more on practical benefits for public services.