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A recent headline says 61% of UK workers received no training on AI-driven cyber threats in the past year, but a QA-associated result gives a conflicting figure of 39%. The available sources do not establish which percentage is correct. The concern is real: the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) says attackers are already using AI to improve familiar cyber tactics, including social engineering.
How many UK workers have had training on AI-driven threats?
The figure is disputed. The Business Investor reported on 2 October 2026 that 61% of workers had received no training of any kind on AI-driven threats, including AI-generated phishing, during the previous 12 months. It attributed the survey to QA, but the underlying survey material was not available in the report’s accessible evidence. Read The Business Investor’s report.
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A QA search result dated the same day describes a survey finding that 39% of employees had received no training on AI-powered cyber threats in the previous 12 months. It does not explain why that differs from 61% or provide enough methodology to resolve the difference. See the QA author and search-result page.
| Measure | Figure | What it tells us |
|---|---|---|
| Worker survey as reported by The Business Investor | 61% received no training in the previous 12 months | Secondary coverage attributes this result to QA; the accessible evidence does not confirm the underlying survey details. |
| QA-associated search result | 39% received no training in the previous 12 months | The result conflicts with the 61% report and does not reconcile the difference. |
| Government survey of organizations, 2025/2026 | 19% of businesses and 17% of charities ran staff cyber security training or awareness activity | This is an organization-level measure, not the share of individual workers trained on AI threats. |
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and Home Office survey measures whether organizations ran staff training or awareness activity; it does not establish how many employees personally received training, or whether that training covered AI-related threats. Its figures therefore cannot settle the disagreement between the worker-level claims. Read the Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025/2026.
Why AI matters to workplace security
AI does not make every cyberattack a new kind of attack. In its assessment published on 7 May 2025, the NCSC said threat actors were already using AI to improve reconnaissance, vulnerability research and exploit development, social engineering, basic malware generation, and analysis of stolen data. It expects much of AI’s near-term impact through 2027 to come from improving existing tactics, making parts of cyber intrusion more effective and efficient. Read the NCSC assessment of AI’s impact on cyber threats.
For workers, that means a convincing message may be easier to produce or tailor. It does not mean every suspicious email was written by AI, nor that spelling mistakes or polished language reliably reveal who—or what—wrote it.
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What to do when a message or request feels suspicious
Do not rely on visual clues to identify AI authorship. Treat unexpected requests for payment, credentials, sensitive information or urgent action as reasons to verify before responding.
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- Pause. Do not rush because a message claims there is an emergency or deadline.
- Check through a separate trusted channel. Contact the person or organization using a number or address you already trust—not contact details supplied in the message.
- Avoid unexpected links and attachments. If you need to visit a service, use its known website or your usual company process.
- Report it at work. Follow your employer’s procedure for reporting suspicious messages or requests; do not forward them informally if workplace policy says otherwise.
Training needs to sit alongside security controls
Awareness training can help staff recognize and report suspicious activity, but a course alone cannot prevent compromise. The NCSC recommends that organizations combine secure approaches to AI deployment with baseline cyber security measures. Its guidance explains what organizations should consider when using AI securely. Read the NCSC’s AI and cyber security guidance.
A separate 2026 government report found that 50% of business cyber leads and 48% of charity cyber leads were not confident preparing training materials or sessions. These figures describe cyber leads’ confidence, not whether workers received training. Read Cyber security skills in the UK labour market 2026.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where employers can find training
QA lists employee awareness learning, workshops, webinars, courses, certifications and organizational training solutions, including AI security and governance offerings. These pages establish that training options exist; they do not by themselves show how effective or comparable those options are. Explore QA’s Cyber Security Awareness Month resources and its cyber security training courses.
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