UK business travellers embrace shadow AI for trips
Fri, 19th Jun 2026
SAP Concur has published UK survey findings showing that 75% of business travellers use or would use unapproved AI tools for work travel. The research also found that all chief financial officers surveyed were concerned about the effect of shadow AI on data security and compliance.
The figures point to a gap between company policy and how staff arrange, manage and report business trips. The issue is not limited to deliberate rule-breaking: 32% of travellers said they turn to unapproved tools because their employer does not provide official AI options for planning or booking travel.
The study suggests AI is already widespread in travel workflows. Almost four in five respondents, or 79%, said they had used AI-powered tools to support some part of a business trip.
Among the most common uses, 37% said they used AI to plan a trip agenda. Another 30% used it to track expenses during a trip, while 26% used it to assess travel risks.
Around 24% said they used AI tools to rebook or make changes to a trip, and the same share used them to curate travel options during booking. A further 21% said they used such tools to complete an expense report after the trip.
Who is using it
The survey found clear differences across age groups. Openness to using shadow AI was highest among Gen Z travellers at 79% and Millennials at 76%, before dropping to 62% among Gen X and 49% among Boomers.
Working patterns also appeared to influence behaviour. Remote workers were more likely to say they would use unapproved AI tools, at 81%, compared with 71% of fully on-site employees.
International travel was another dividing line. Three quarters of those who travel abroad for work said they have used or would use shadow AI tools, compared with 63% of domestic business travellers.
Availability appears to be only part of the issue. SAP Concur found that 43% of respondents preferred tools other than those approved by their employer, suggesting staff often see consumer AI products as more useful or easier to access than official systems.
Governance concerns
For finance leaders, the spread of unapproved tools raises concerns about oversight of spending, personal data and links to internal systems. All chief financial officers surveyed said they were worried about shadow AI in business travel, reflecting how closely travel booking and expense management sit to finance controls.
Paul Dear, vice president, Concur Travel EMEA at SAP Concur, said the pattern showed a broader management problem rather than an isolated technology issue.
"It's a huge worry for business leaders. 100% of CFOs say they're concerned by shadow AI in business travel," said Paul Dear, vice president, Concur Travel EMEA at SAP Concur.
He warned about the risks created when workers rely on systems outside approved company processes.
"As consumer AI tools proliferate, they open the door for employees to use unsanctioned systems for booking or planning business travel. Unfortunately, this shadow AI can create security risks, particularly when employees input sensitive data or connect business systems to unauthorised software. Leaders must educate workers on the risks and provide T&E tools that deliver the desired level of AI support," Dear said.
What staff want
The survey also explored the AI features employees want in work travel tools. The most common request, cited by 38% of respondents, was for AI integrations in other parts of the workflow, such as presentation software and calendars.
Another 36% said they wanted AI embedded in communication software including Teams and Slack. Some 32% wanted integrations in role-specific tools such as customer relationship management systems.
Proactive prompts were also in demand. Nearly a third, or 31%, said they wanted AI that notifies them to book through alerts or reminders, while 30% wanted chatbot interfaces within existing booking tools.
Taken together, the findings suggest companies face a practical challenge as they try to impose governance on AI use in travel. Employees are already using AI for booking, risk checks and expenses, but many appear willing to do so outside approved channels when official tools are missing or fail to meet their needs.
For travel and finance teams, that leaves a choice between tighter enforcement and broader adoption of sanctioned tools that fit into the systems employees already use. In the survey, 38% of employees said they wanted AI integrations in other parts of the workflow, and 36% wanted AI embedded in communication software.