The State of AI in Payroll: What 300+ Payroll Professionals Told Us

Payroll is built on trust, so accuracy and compliance are never up for negotiation. Bright partnered with IPASS and The Payroll Centre to survey more than 300 payroll professionals across the UK and Ireland to understand where AI is earning its place in their working day, and where trust still needs to catch up.

What’s in This Report?

• Who today’s payroll professionals are: An experienced, highly professional workforce, with over half in the role for more than 15 years

• Why payroll professionals are looking for support: The legislative change, tight deadlines and staff shortages driving growing interest in AI

• The state of AI adoption: What percentage of payroll professionals are already using AI and which tools they trust most

• The trust gap: Why accuracy and data privacy concerns mean adoption is running well ahead of confidence

Why AI in Payroll Matters Now

Accuracy and data privacy are the two biggest barriers to wider adoption of AI in the payroll profession, which is exactly what you’d expect from a profession where one incorrect calculation or a misinterpreted piece of legislation carries real consequences.

Payroll professionals aren’t looking to replace their expertise. They’re looking to spend less time on repetitive admin work and more time applying the knowledge and judgement that only people can provide. This guide shows you exactly where the profession stands today, and how to move forward with confidence.