What business leaders really think about AI

The sudden emergence of DeepSeek, a highly efficient and cost-effective Chinese chatbot, has rocked the tech industry and financial markets and soared to the top of smartphone download charts around the world.

Built for a fraction of the cost - and packing far less computing power - of better-known rivals such as ChatGPT, this new kid on the block has turned the AI model on its head and shown that expensive chips and big budgets are by no means needed for pioneering advances in the sector.

There has been the inevitable backlash, with DeepSeek accused of copying technology developed by US rival OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT.

If true, this would be a clear breach of intellectual property but what is not in doubt is how the arrival of DeepSeek mirrors wider concerns and anxieties among business leaders over the impact of AI on their operations.

A report launched last week, by Grayling UK reveals that more than half of all business leaders (57%) expect business risks to increase in 2025, compared to last year. A third of business leaders view technological disruptions as the most concerning risk to their business, followed by regulatory changes (27%), with half of leaders feeling ‘somewhat prepared’ (51%).

The research identifies AI as posing the biggest technological threat, with almost two thirds of business leaders (65%) somewhat or very concerned about the potential risks AI poses to their organisation and its reputation.

The top AI-related risk is overwhelmingly the risk of data privacy breaches with 42% of business leaders concerned about leaks, followed by deep fake fraud (18%) and bias in AI algorithms (17%).

Indeed, the risk of data privacy breaches has led to nearly half of all business leaders (44%) implementing enhanced cybersecurity protocols to mitigate the AI-related risks to corporate reputation. The report revealed that business leaders are also concerned about the ethical implications of AI, with nearly one in four leaders citing a lack of trust in AI outputs as the biggest barrier to adoption (37%).

This research, coupled with the arrival of DeepSeek, lay bare the complexity of the AI debate.

While there are clear opportunities ahead, the pace of AI dictates that government action can quickly become outdated before the ink is dry on its ten-year strategy document. While the strategy is to be applauded, the risks and pace of innovation are unfolding in real-time and this requires immediate action to tackle the risks head on.

Business leaders, too, need to feel confident about the pace and scale of change and able to focus on the opportunities, not only the challenges.

While uncertainty and anxiety linger, many recognise the immense potential of AI.

Indeed, the report shows that business leaders feel that the greatest benefit of AI is in improving operational efficiency (48%) and reducing costs (39%).

Harnessing the power of AI to collate and analyse huge amounts of data - and pinpoint required action – promises significant benefits and highlights how AI and data strategies done well and in partnership with industry can be a powerful force for good.

For example, AI can dramatically help in crisis disciplines, such as climate change. The technology can be harnessed to measure changes in icebergs 10,000 times faster than a human, helping scientists to understand and predict the rate of meltwater released into the ocean.

It can map deforestation, predict weather patterns and help clean up the oceans by tracking plastic waste.

The technology is already shaping and transforming healthcare. In the life sciences industry, AI is helping to identify those people with dementia who are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s. There is a clear cross-over with the NHS and need for business and government to work in close partnership.

Yet, as last week has shown, it is not a predictable path.

If we are to be able to meet new challenges head on and tackle them effectively, close collaboration and partnerships across industry and sectors are vital. All of us will need to grow and adapt as AI becomes ever more integrated into our lives and it is imperative that businesses are not left behind or alienated by the rise of the technology.

*One Poll carried out the UK-wide research between 20^th December to 6^th January, polling 500 Board-level Executives, CEOs and Partners. The data is nationally representative based on age, gender and religion.