A majority of payroll specialists across the UK and Ireland have incorporated AI into their regular routines, with considerable interest in further adoption.
The findings are part of the Payroll Professionals Survey 2026 by BrightPay, a unit of accounting, payroll and human resources solutions provider Bright.
The research is based on data collected from 296 industry practitioners in the UK and Ireland.
It found that 56% of them utilise AI solutions on at least an occasional basis. An additional 24% expressed a desire to begin adopting the technology.
However, 18% of participants stated they had no intention of adopting AI, citing scepticism regarding current platforms.
Among current users, the primary applications of AI include drafting emails and communications (66%) and examining statutory rules or revenue guidelines (59%), which respondents noted frees up time from routine administration for higher-priority tasks.
Demand for skill development remains high, with 70% of respondents indicating they would welcome additional training on integrating AI into their positions.
Currently, 44% of surveyed professionals consider AI to be beneficial in their routine responsibilities.
Regarding implementation, respondents linked their willingness to deploy AI for critical functions directly to guarantees concerning precision as well as transparency regarding data protection and General Data Protection Regulation compliance.
Furthermore, 44% stated that they anticipate AI will enhance professional effectiveness rather than displace skilled personnel.
Beyond technological shifts, regulatory updates and processing timelines represent the most significant operational hurdles for the sector, cited by 63% and 62% of participants, respectively.
In contrast, personnel shortages were identified by 28%, while insufficient technology was noted by 17%.
Bright CEO Ben Bishop said: "These findings echo exactly what we hear from our own customers.
"Payroll professionals don't want a chatbot that can draft an email, they want tools built for the specific, high-stakes work they actually do every day.
"That is why we have focused our AI development on the jobs that sit around compliance and accuracy, rather than adding a general assistant on top.
"The fact that seven in ten want more training tells us the appetite is there and it is on us as a sector to meet it, with tools that are transparent about how they work and where their limits are, so professionals can build trust in them at their own pace."
The research follows Bright's launch of an innovation centre in the West Midlands last month to house the company's expanding AI division.
"Majority of UK and Irish payroll professionals now using AI, survey finds" was originally created and published by International Accounting Bulletin, a GlobalData owned brand.