Digital sector stumbles over AI implementation, with 52% of businesses yet to adopt

Data analysed by Distinctly, a London-based Digital Marketing agency, has found that over half (52%) of Information and Communication businesses are not currently using AI technologies.

The data, taken from ONS’ Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) survey, has revealed a significant skills gap in the Information and Communication sector.

The industry has noted several barriers to AI implementation; 11% of businesses note lack of expertise as a factor, while 10% cite difficulty identifying practical business use cases. 6% of businesses noted security concerns as an issue, while 11% noted cost as a roadblock.

Industry leaders have forged ahead, with 39% of AI users developing in-house technologies. The majority (47%) of AI users purchased external or ready-to-use AI software, while 23% outsourced to external providers or third parties.

23% of Information and Communication businesses have begun using AI text generation using Large Language Models (LLMs), while 13% use AI for visual content creation. 19% currently use AI for data processing.

The Integrating AI Processes into Digital PR report – compiled by Distinctly – found that phased integration of AI massively improved outcomes of AI experimentation, ensuring successful uptake of AI technologies.

A six month testing period of gradual AI implementation at Distinctly saw a 35% increase in AI competency, with a 67% increase in understanding of AI tools at executive level.

Matt Foster, Senior Digital PR Manager at Distinctly, author of the Integrating AI Processes into Digital PR whitepaper and ‘Top 10 AI Innovator for 2024’, said, “Testing across a phased approach has been the key to responsible use and maintaining quality output.

“A phase-by-phase approach of slow evolution-based adoption has helped us integrate generative AI and LLM into processes where we know it can have an impact. More importantly, the approach allowed us to upskill the team as a unit, with focus on sharing, experimentation, and exploring ChatGPT and LLM use cases.

“AI is not a magic solution and absolutely requires quality human input and critical evaluation. Through experimentation across different stages of work, we found the tool fell short of our standards of output. This led us to develop policies around using LLMs as supporting tools to inject into our work, where human input and output are central to using it effectively and to a high standard.”

Chloe Chamberlain, Senior Digital PR Strategist at Distinctly and co-author of the Integrating AI Processes into Digital PR whitepaper, said, “Adopting AI methodically – away from the hype – has helped to organically improve our service. Setting a standards and use policy based on an initial research phase has ensured our use of AI maintains the high output standards required, while testing how AI and ChatGPT fit into our existing processes with workshops and experimentation meant evolution, not revolution.

“We placed significant emphasis on sharing learnings across the team, to ensure balanced development. Although still at an early stage of the adoption of AI and ChatGPT, we’ve already seen positive steps forward which have helped us