Finance sector leads UK AI adoption, says report

The UK’s top ten most in-demand AI specialisations in 2025 include machine learning engineers, AI/ML specialists, and data scientists. Credit: Smallroombigdream/Shutterstock. The finance sector is at the forefront of AI adoption in the UK, according to a recent analysis by tech solutions provider imagineanything.ai. The report highlights that the finance sector has embraced AI across multiple functions, with 75% of financial companies currently using AI, up from 58% in 2022. Foundation models now represent 17% of all AI use cases in finance, while 55% of financial AI applications include automated decision-making. The report also notes that AI-related jobs are growing 3.6 times quicker than the overall job market, with the UK’s AI landscape expanding fast. It reveals that professionals with AI skills earn roughly 21% more than their peers in similar positions without those capabilities. Some specialised positions command wage premiums of up to 58%, with machine learning engineers leading the list of most in-demand positions.

According to the analysis, the UK’s AI sector is projected to reach a market valuation of £230bn ($306.38bn) by 2025, making it Europe’s largest AI market and the third largest globally, behind the US and China. Startups raised £1.03bn in venture capital in Q1 2025 alone. imagineanything.ai AI research director Rebecca Armstrong said: “We are seeing an unprecedented demand for specialised AI talent, creating a significant skills gap across industries. “Organisations that invest in AI capabilities now are positioning themselves to capture a share of the projected £300bn annual economic contribution that AI is expected to deliver to the UK economy by 2050.”

The UK’s top ten most in-demand AI specialisations in 2025 include machine learning engineers, AI/ML specialists, data scientists with AI expertise, and computer vision engineers. Generative AI engineers are identified as the fastest-growing specialty with a 41.53% CAGR through 2030. The analysis identifies regional AI hotspots beyond London, with Manchester, Edinburgh, Cambridge, Bristol, and Oxford experiencing rapid growth. Although London remains the UK’s AI capital with 36,715 AI-related roles, other cities are emerging as significant hubs. The study also highlights regional variations in AI salaries, with London commanding the highest premium, followed by Cambridge/Oxford, Edinburgh, Manchester, and Birmingham.

Computing reported the largest proportional increase in university entrant enrolments, growing by 23% from 2021/22 to 2022/23. As of 2024, 122 UK universities offer Master’s degrees in artificial intelligence, up from 93 in 2022, and 96 universities offer Bachelor’s programmes in AI-related fields. However, the World Economic Forum projects that 40% of the UK workforce will need reskilling in AI-related areas within the next three years. As per AWS research, AI literacy will be required for nearly half of all new UK jobs over the next three years. The skills shortage is particularly acute in specific areas, with approximately 20,000 vacancy shortfall for machine learning engineers and AI specialists.

Finance sector leads UK AI adoption, says imagineanything.ai report

A report by imagineanything.ai highlights the UK's finance sector as the leader in AI adoption, with 75% of financial companies using AI, up from 58% in 2022. The UK's AI market is projected to reach £230bn by 2025, with AI-related jobs growing 3.6 times faster than the overall job market. Regional hubs like Manchester, Edinburgh, and Cambridge are emerging as AI centers, and AI literacy is expected to be critical for 50% of new UK jobs by 2028.