The Office for National Statistics has begun building a new framework to measure artificial intelligence in the UK economy, with an experimental thematic account targeted for March 2028. The project is an attempt to answer a deceptively difficult question: how much economic activity is actually connected to AI?
What is an AI thematic account?
A thematic account reorganises existing and new statistics around a particular subject. The ONS plans to map the production and use of AI-related infrastructure, applications and services, drawing together information that is currently spread across industries and data sources.
Why is AI difficult to measure?
AI is both a product and an input. A specialist company may sell a model, while a retailer, manufacturer or public body may use an AI-enabled service bought from elsewhere. Hardware, cloud computing, data and skills also support AI without always being labelled as AI activity. Definitions change as technology and business practices evolve, making consistent time series difficult.
What will the ONS include?
The methodology proposes a six-stage process covering scope, concepts, classifications, data, compilation and publication. It will examine infrastructure, software and services as well as use across the economy. The agency also plans to identify data gaps rather than fill them with unsupported precision.
When will figures appear?
Scoping is scheduled through the first quarter of 2027, followed by prototype work during the remainder of that year. The current goal is to have an experimental account ready in the first quarter of 2028. That timetable may change as definitions and data are tested.
What should readers not infer?
The September paper is a methodology, not a new estimate of AI’s share of GDP or proof of an AI-driven productivity effect. The ONS explicitly says the work is not yet official statistics. Its value is in establishing transparent boundaries that can support better comparisons later, including what is excluded.
Primary sources: the ONS methodology paper and its release page.
Reporting basis: official information released on 21 September 2026. Illustrative image: photo by Steve A Johnson on Unsplash.