Examples of AI in business: How real companies are using AI in 2026

AI is moving beyond experimentation, with 70% of UK business leaders surveyed by Employment Hero saying they plan to increase AI investment over the next six months. The most useful applications are often practical: reducing repetitive admin, improving recruitment and supporting payroll and compliance.

In customer service, AI can handle routine, high volume enquiries, freeing employees to focus on more complex conversations. In recruitment, Employment Hero’s AI Recruitment Agent can screen and score candidates, while AI powered onboarding automates paperwork and compliance tasks.

Payroll is another area where AI can help. Employment Hero reports that 69% of UK businesses experienced a payroll error requiring manual correction in the past year, while the average pay run takes 6.3 hours. AI can help flag anomalies and keep payroll processes aligned with changing requirements.

For businesses considering AI, Employment Hero recommends starting with a repetitive, time consuming process, choosing tools that integrate with existing systems, running a small pilot and involving employees early.

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