Press Release: AI Governance Report

93% of UK Organisations Now Use AI, But Only 7% Have Fully Embedded Governance, Trustmarque Research Finds

York, UK – 21 July 2025 – AI adoption has become nearly universal among UK enterprises, with 93% of UK organisations using the technology in some form. However, only 7% have fully embedded governance frameworks to manage its risks, according to Trustmarque’s AI Governance Index 2025.

AI governance is the framework of policies and controls to ensure AI operates transparently, fairly, and meets regulatory requirements. As AI becomes embedded in critical business processes, governance must be integrated from design through to deployment. By preventing bias, safeguarding data and meeting compliance requirements, solid governance builds confidence and paves the way for long‑term, trustworthy AI.

Trustmarque (a highly accredited technology reseller) has launched a report, based on a survey of 507 senior UK IT decision-makers, highlighting a widening gap between the speed of AI adoption and the maturity of supporting governance structures.

Key findings include:

• 93% of organisations are using AI in some capacity.
• Only 7% have fully embedded AI governance frameworks; 54% report having minimal governance or none at all.
• Just 4% consider their technology infrastructure fully AI-ready.
• 8% have integrated AI governance into their software development lifecycle.

The research found that organisations still largely rely on legacy software development processes which haven’t been updated to account for AI-specific risks such as model bias or explainability gaps. Only 28% apply bias detection during testing, and fewer still (22%) test for model interpretability.

Infrastructure and tooling also present barriers to governance according to the IT leaders surveyed. Just 4% of organisations say their data and infrastructure environments are fully prepared to support AI at scale. Registries, audit trails, and version control for AI models are often manual or missing entirely.

When it comes to accountability for AI oversight, the research found it is fragmented. Only 9% report alignment between IT leadership and governance, while 19% say there is no clear owner for governance activity. Executive engagement remains low, with most AI governance driven at the departmental level rather than through strategic leadership.

This lack of central ownership is reflected in how few organisations measure the effectiveness of their governance. Just 18% have implemented continuous monitoring with KPIs to track progress

“Our report shows that AI adoption is outpacing governance,” said Seb Burrell, Head of AI at Trustmarque.

He continues to say, “Governance is also often seen as a constraint, but our findings suggest otherwise.  Organisations that have adopted AI governance are seeing real, tangible benefits – faster deployments, stronger accountability, and reduced manual review cycles. It’s a vital support function to enable responsible, scalable AI.”

“What stood out in this research is how many organisations are adopting AI without fully understanding the risks.”

“We see projects moving fast, but often without the checks, controls, or delivery oversight needed to support them.That’s where governance makes the difference. Without it, you’re not just risking compliance gaps, you’re risking poor outcomes, rising costs, and wasted time. Governance isn’t about slowing things down. It’s what helps organisations scale AI safely and effectively.”

– James McKeown, AI Governance Specialist and Principal Test Consultant at Acutest (Part of Trustmarque).

To view the report, please click the link below.

About Trustmarque

Trustmarque delivers the value of technology to bring real-life impact. As a trusted partner to customers and technology vendors, together, we turn your vision into reality. Trustmarque’s knowledge, experience, and technical expertise helps organisations acquire and adopt the right technology to create an environment of innovation.

Trustmarque offers a comprehensive range of IT solutions that demonstrates a wide understanding of technology, across: connectivity and hybrid infrastructure, cyber security, digital workplace and automation, data and analytics, testing and assurance, and managed services. We are proud to hold the highest levels of accreditations with the world’s most valued technology partners. We are Trustmarque.

About Acutest

Acutest delivers assurance at the pace of change. We help organisations confidently adopt, optimise, and govern technology through rigorous testing and quality assurance. From critical applications to emerging AI systems, Acutest ensures that technology performs as intended – securely, reliably, and in compliance with evolving governance standards.

We work with organisations to de-risk digital transformation by combining deep expertise in testing, test management, and assurance with a practical, business-led approach. Our services span software testing, quality assurance, automation, and AI governance frameworks. We empower clients to manage complexity, mitigate risk, and accelerate innovation.

As part of Trustmarque, we bring proven capability across the full technology lifecycle, helping customers realise the value of technology through confidence, control, and compliance.