New study finds UK asset finance races to adopt AI, but struggles to turn pilots into proven ROI

Resilient Management Solutions, in partnership with Finance Connect, has released a new “AI Adoption, Workforce Redesign and Operational Readiness” report, offering a detailed view of how AI is being deployed across the UK Asset, Auto and Equipment Finance market.

The study shows that AI has firmly shifted from experimentation to strategic priority, yet many organisations are still working to convert early activity into consistent, measurable value.

89% of respondents report that they are piloting, scaling or embedding AI in some form, but only around 14% say they have achieved significant, proven ROI. Adoption is concentrated in document processing and data extraction, where operational pain is well understood and value is easier to evidence, while more complex use cases such as credit decisioning progress more slowly under the weight of regulation, explainability and risk.

Commenting on the findings, Ian McVicar, Director of IAA-Advisory said: “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 also pointed to the economic realities shaping AI agendas:

“This is happening against a challenging market backdrop. With margin pressure, higher funding costs and tighter credit conditions, the focus on AI is increasingly practical. For most firms, it’s less about innovation for its own sake and more about improving efficiency, reducing friction and doing more without adding cost.”

The report highlights that most organisations expect roles to evolve rather than disappear, with AI driving redesign and reskilling rather than wholesale workforce reduction, yet training and readiness are still catching up. Governance frameworks are being built, but the wider regulatory landscape remains uncertain, particularly in the UK, where firms must balance innovation, Consumer Duty and data protection obligations.

As Ian concludes: “Overall, the sector has moved beyond asking whether AI matters. The focus now is 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.”

The “AI Adoption, Workforce Redesign & Operational Readiness” report is now available for download on the Finance Connect website.