British business owners are all in on AI and surprisingly bullish despite a troubling economic backdrop. But the latest survey of owners of businesses with revenues of £500 million plus, down to £5m, has a warning for the Chancellor: raising taxes will undermine his “defining mission” – to be a government of growth.

Read the full report to learn how businesses are harnessing AI to grow, how they’re cutting hours or staff to control costs and what tax rises at the Budget they fear most. The full report includes a wide range of findings from the survey, including:

• Business owners’ take on the new government and its plans for fiscal devolution

• How driving up the minimum wage is driving down youth employment

• The impact of AI on productivity and on headcounts

• How increasing capital gains tax would impact businesses’ plans for growth

• Why business owners are leaving it late to consider exits and succession

While there’s much that might worry business owners in the forthcoming Budget, The BOSS also finds that the Chancellor has opportunities to support businesses in line with the government’s priorities:

• 30% say supporting adoption of AI and new technologies in business would be one of the most powerful things the government could do to boost growth

• The same proportion name reestablishing closer ties with the EU (the region where business owners see the most scope for growth internationally)

Read our analysis of both the opportunities and risks from AI, the Budget and the broader business environment. We show why there is cause for optimism, but also a real need for caution before committing to a new course amid changing technology and a precarious economy.

To find out more and explore the in-depth findings from business owners across Britain, fill in the form and download the report today.