Jabra, the audio, video and collaboration technology brand, has published new research finding that hardware limitations are holding back voice AI adoption among UK workers, even as a minority of “superusers” report strong productivity gains from the technology. The WorkLife 2026: The New Shape of Work report, based on responses from 1,000 UK knowledge workers, found that 31 per cent of respondents identify at least one hardware barrier to using AI effectively, spanning audio, video and connectivity, including 13 per cent who say a lack of reliable audio hardware, such as headsets and microphones, prevents them from effectively using voice AI applications like meeting transcription.
The research found that just 12 per cent of UK workers meet Jabra’s definition of an AI “superuser” – someone who uses AI daily and has the organisational support to do so effectively. Adoption varies sharply by seniority, with 27 per cent of C-suite and executive respondents qualifying as superusers, compared with 18 per cent of senior managers and directors, 7 per cent of people managers and just 1 per cent of individual workers.
Manager capability was closely linked to confident AI use. Across the six markets surveyed in the wider report, daily AI users with a capable manager rated their career optimism at 8.3 out of 10, compared with 5.5 among those without one, while workers who described their manager as extremely capable were far more likely to have received AI training, feel prepared by their organisation and work in workflows redesigned for AI. Despite this, only half of workers (50 per cent) described their manager as capable of supporting them with AI.
The report found that people who regularly talk to AI, rather than typing, spend more time on decision-making, problem-solving and collaboration, and report less stress and exhaustion than non-users. This way of working was more common where the right organisational conditions were in place, including practical training and competent managerial support.
Steen Marquard, north regional president at Jabra, said: “AI is not a switch that can simply be turned on. Leaders need to bring employees along for the journey, and its success depends on employees having the confidence and skills to use it well. By listening to needs and providing the right support, training and tools, organisations can work productively and maximise the benefits and true value of AI.”
Marquard added: “AI should feel like a natural part of the working day, not something reserved for the most confident users. We all talk to our colleagues, therefore, having conversations with AI is a natural extension of the way we already work. Organisations that make it easy, intuitive and secure for everyone to interact with AI will see the greatest returns on AI investments, closing the gap between superusers and those who are less certain about where to start.”
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