UK industry lags global peers on autonomous operations, Schneider Electric research finds

UK industrial businesses are falling behind their international counterparts in the adoption of autonomous operations, although investment is expected to accelerate over the next five years, according to new research from Schneider Electric.

The company’s Global Autonomous Maturity Report, based on responses from 400 senior leaders across the energy and chemicals sectors in 12 countries, found that just 8% of UK organisations currently describe themselves as fully autonomous. However, 76% said autonomous operations are now a strategic priority and 36% expect to achieve full autonomy within five years.

Schneider Electric said autonomous operations are becoming increasingly important for organisations looking to improve productivity, reduce operating costs and support decarbonisation. The report found 48% of UK respondents identified improving profitability and reducing costs as the primary driver for investing in autonomous technologies, while 32% cited improved environmental performance and lower emissions.

Alex Richards, vice president, industrial and process automation, Schneider Electric UK and Ireland, said: “UK industry is facing a defining moment. Autonomous operations are now a practical route to improving performance across cost, resilience and sustainability. At the heart of this is intelligence – turning operational data into real-time decisions that improve how industrial systems perform every day.

“While the UK currently trails many of its global peers in autonomous maturity, there is clear momentum behind adoption. The priority now is to scale deployment. Organizations that act decisively will strengthen competitiveness while building more resilient, lower-carbon industrial operations for the future.”

The research also highlighted the perceived risks of delaying adoption. More than half (52%) of respondents said failing to invest in autonomous technologies would result in significantly higher operating costs, while the same proportion believed skills shortages would worsen. Almost half (48%) also pointed to increased safety risks.

Despite growing interest, businesses continue to face barriers to implementation. Resistance to organisational change was cited by 40% of respondents as the biggest obstacle, followed by a lack of understanding of autonomous technologies (32%). Other challenges included competing investment priorities (28%), a lack of forward-thinking leadership (28%) and cybersecurity concerns (24%).