Only 24% Of FM Organisations Rate Themselves As ‘AI-Ready’

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• Only 24% Of FM Organisations Rate Themselves As ‘AI-Ready’

22 September 2026 | Updated 21 September 2026

Mike Talbot, Chief Technology Officer at SFG20, the industry standard for building maintenance, has shared his thoughts on technology adoption in the built sector and how data can be leveraged to make better strategic decisions. 

Recent data reveals that only 2 in 5 UK businesses are currently adopting AI technologies.

A recent analysis of data from the ONS Business Report found that the number of UK businesses currently adopting AI technologies has increased by 8% since June of last year. Despite the improvement, this still means just over three-fifths (65%) of UK businesses are not embracing the technology.

The ONS data revealed that 59% of the businesses that are using AI tools are doing so to ‘improve business operations’, with a further 30% using it to ‘provide, or personalise, products or services to customers’.

SFG20’s State of Facilities Management Report 2026 revealed that, in the built sector, although over half of organisations rank digital transformation as highly important for their overall strategy, only 24% rate themselves as AI-ready. The industry report spotlights high costs (63%), integration (52%) and resistance to change (41%) as the main barriers to adopting new technologies across organisations. 

Why Do Built Sector Professionals Need To Leverage The Benefits Of AI?

“Facilities management professionals are under increasing pressure to enhance efficiency, ensure compliance, and reduce costs amid challenges such as staff shortages and skill gaps. Traditional methods may no longer be enough to fully meet these demands.

“Artificial intelligence is emerging as a vital tool in this transformation, offering solutions that not only address operational challenges but also provide a competitive advantage in a market with tightening margins and regulations.

“The built sector recognises the importance of implementing AI, as shown by our State of FM Report, but there is often a lot of reluctance to do so. This is often due to concerns that technology will replace human expertise. Although it comes with its cons, when implemented effectively, AI can optimise maintenance costs, reduce unplanned downtime, enhance energy consumption, and is intended to build on, not replace, existing roles.

“By automating repetitive tasks and streamlining manual processes, AI enhances operational efficiency and helps standardise data. This allows teams to focus more on high-value, strategic decisions. Failing to adopt AI in today’s fast-evolving landscape risks missing key opportunities to stay competitive.”

How Can Organisations Effectively Encourage Technology Adoption?

“To motivate the majority, decision-makers need to see the technology in action and proof, through practical application, that the technology is effective and there is a clear return on investment. It requires the early adopters to throw open their doors and invite the sector to come and witness the opportunities. There needs to be more visible case studies with clear evidence of the benefits. 

“Start with high-impact use cases, then invest in capability. Focus first on technologies that deliver measurable time and cost savings and reinvest those gains into the next phase of your digital strategy. Crucially, skills adoption must be built into the roadmap: if teams cannot fully utilise the tools being procured, targeted training and support should be addressed early to ensure technology delivers value and enables sustained digital transformation.”

Picture: An image of an open laptop with coding on the screen, positioned at an angle in front of a monitor.

Article written by Dave Mapps | Published 22 September 2026

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