Mid-market firms risk being left behind as big corporates accelerate AI adoption
A new corporate divide is emerging across the UK economy – AI readiness – which is fast becoming the line between businesses that lead and those that fall behind.
While artificial intelligence is now firmly embedded in boardroom strategy, its benefits are not being shared equally. Large corporations with modern digital foundations, and software resilience are moving from experimentation to meaningful AI deployment, embedding it into core operations and software integrations. Many mid-market organisations, however, remain stuck in pilot mode, constrained by legacy systems, fragmented data, and a lack of clear governance.
Recent data highlights the scale of this gap. According to AWS, 52% of UK businesses now use AI, with large enterprises adopting faster than mid-market firms.
Propel Tech’s 2026 Software Wishlist research, based on responses from more than 800 UK professionals, echoes this. While over 93% say their organisation is investing in AI, almost a third report that AI initiatives are exposing serious underlying data and systems problems – a clear signal that many businesses are attempting to scale AI on foundations not built to support it.
David Ritchie, Director and Founder of Propel Tech, comments: “AI is quickly becoming a defining capability for successful organisations, but readiness is where the real divide sits. Large enterprises are building modern, bespoke systems that allow AI to scale safely and meaningfully. Too many mid-market businesses are being encouraged to adopt AI without addressing the fundamentals. When the foundations aren’t right, AI becomes expensive experimentation rather than a driver of real value.”
According to Propel Tech, this divide is not inevitable. By modernising core systems, improving data quality, and using bespoke software to embed AI in ways that reflect real business processes, mid-market organisations can close the gap and unlock AI’s benefits responsibly and at pace.
As AI adoption accelerates, the question facing UK businesses is no longer whether to invest, but whether they are prepared to turn that investment into lasting advantage.
Propel Tech has published a free ebook exploring how bespoke software can help UK organisations build AI-ready foundations and unlock workforce efficiency. More information is available at:
https://propeltech.co.uk/bespoke-software-the-key-to-unlocking-an-ai-powered-workforce/
