AI adoption: how UK asset finance is turning experimentation into evidence

AI has quickly moved from experimentation to a genuine strategic priority across Asset, Auto and Equipment Finance, but the new “AI Adoption, Workforce Redesign and Operational Readiness” report by Resilient Management Solutions in partnership with Finance Connect shows that progress is far from uniform. Momentum is clear, yet turning early activity into consistent, measurable value is still a work in progress.

Where the market is seeing value

The study finds that 89% of respondents are already piloting, scaling or embedding AI, but only around 14% report significant, proven ROI so far. Adoption is concentrated in workflow‑heavy areas such as document processing and data extraction, where operational pain is visible and value is easier to prove.

Generative AI, intelligent document processing, natural language processing and predictive analytics dominate the technology stack, pointing to a focus on removing friction from core processes rather than pursuing speculative “moonshot” use cases. More complex use cases, such as credit decisioning, are progressing more slowly because of regulatory scrutiny, explainability demands and risk considerations.

A challenging UK market backdrop

All of this is happening against a difficult UK backdrop, with margin pressure, higher funding costs and tighter credit conditions. That context is pushing AI programmes to be practical, with a clear bias towards efficiency, cost control and the ability to do more without adding headcount.

Technology investment is returning to the top of many lenders’ agendas as firms seek productivity gains and operational resilience, yet capability, data quality and integration remain key constraints on turning pilots into scaled, evidenced outcomes.

Workforce, governance and talent

A consistent theme in the findings is that AI is not just a technology shift; it is an operating model and workforce shift. Most organisations expect roles to evolve rather than disappear, with redeployment and reskilling more common expectations than large‑scale headcount reduction. However, AI training is still concentrated in small pockets: 40% of respondents report that only 1–25% of their workforce has received AI training, and 13% say there has been none at all.

Governance is moving forward too, although often ahead of regulatory clarity. Around 60% of respondents say they already have a formal AI policy or governance board, but fewer than 6% believe current UK regulation is clear and supportive, with data protection, GDPR, bias, discrimination and FCA Consumer Duty all front of mind.

The report also surfaces important talent implications. Many organisations have yet to decide whether to build AI capability through specialist hires, vendor partnerships, platform functionality or internal upskilling, while the wider banking sector is rapidly growing its AI‑literate workforce. The risk is that scarce hybrid talent, combining domain expertise with data, technology and change capability, will be absorbed by larger institutions first.

What comes next

In his commentary on the report, Ian McVicar, Director at IAA-Advisory, summarises the challenge facing leaders:

“AI has quickly moved from experimentation to a genuine strategic priority across Asset, Auto and Equipment Finance. But as this report shows, progress is far from uniform. Momentum is clear, yet turning early activity into consistent, measurable value is still a work in progress.”

He notes that the sector has now moved beyond asking whether AI matters and must instead focus on “where it delivers value, how quickly it can scale, and whether organisations can bring people, data and delivery capability forward at the same pace as the technology itself.”

Together, the data and commentary describe a sector in practical transition: committed to AI, cautiously optimistic about its potential, but acutely aware that sustained value will depend on governance, workforce readiness and disciplined delivery as much as on technology.

For more information, visit the Resilient Management Solutions website.

Click on the button to read the report.