New Expleo AI Pulse survey finds falling confidence, excitement and trust in AI – but what does this mean for local government?
Confidence in AI has cooled as early promise meets real-world experience. That’s the conclusion of the least AI Pulse survey conducted by global tech company Expleo. It found that business leaders’ levels of confidence, excitement and trust in the ability of AI to transform their organisation are at the lowest levels in six months, and that AI adoption is entering a more ‘mature’ phase.
We asked a leading figure at Expleo what this means for local government, but first let’s look at what the latest data shows…
Since last August, every month the AI Pulse survey consults 600 business leaders across the UK, France and Germany. Based primarily on the responses of 200 business leaders in the UK, with data collection beginning in February 2026, the survey found:
- 66% reported confidence in their ‘ability to successfully use AI’, compared to 80% in multiple months last year
- 66% reported excitement in AI, compared to high of 81% in September
- 74% reported trust in AI, compared to high of 84% in August
While two-thirds expressed confidence and trust in AI, the fall in rates since last year is notable.
In addition, the survey asks business leaders to rate their overall ‘sentiment’ regarding AI, from zero (very worried) to 100 (very confident). Again, that’s seen a fall from a high of 74 in September to 64 in February 2026.
Last year, Expleo research found that most organisations considered their AI initiatives to be successful but many struggled to move beyond pilot stage due to challenges in integration and gas in capability. More recent AI Pulse data suggests such execution pressures are affecting board-level confidence in AI.
But what does this mean for local government? Jeff Hoyle, EVP and MD UK & North America at Expleo, told Infotec: ‘Our data reflects private sector sentiment, but the shift it highlights is just as relevant for local authorities. What we’re seeing isn’t a loss of interest in AI, but a move from early optimism to a more realistic understanding of what it takes to make it work in practice.
‘In a local government context, those challenges can become visible more quickly. Budget constraints, legacy systems and the need for transparency all place greater pressure on organisations to demonstrate that AI is delivering tangible value. That can naturally impact confidence as expectations meet the realities of implementation.
‘While this doesn’t suggest AI is failing to deliver on its promise, it does reflect a maturing approach. The focus is shifting towards getting the foundations right, from data readiness to governance and skills, so that AI can be deployed in a way that is both effective and accountable.’
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