While investors chase Nvidia and Microsoft, the UK stock market is quietly generating billions in AI-driven profits. Mining giants, banks, and pharmaceutical companies are all cashing in, without ever calling themselves ‘AI companies’.
The FTSE 100 actually outperformed the S&P 500 in 2025, returning 21.5% versus 16.2%, despite having almost no pure-play AI stocks.
Here’s a few ways that ‘old economy’ stocks are profiting from the AI boom.
How are banks using AI to boost profits?
UK banks are deploying AI for fraud detection, algorithmic trading, and risk modeling, reducing operational costs while boosting margins.
HSBC screens over one billion transactions monthly for financial crime, using AI that detects two-to-four times more suspicious activity than traditional methods – while cutting false alarms by 60%.
The banking sector now sits at 15-year highs, with financials representing roughly 39% of the FTSE 100. I see this as a clear efficiency story: AI isn’t replacing bankers, it’s making them vastly more productive.
And the healthcare sector’s advancements are even more impressive.
Pharma’s AI drug discovery
Pharmaceutical companies use AI to accelerate clinical trials and identify drug candidates faster. AstraZeneca gained 27% in 2025 as the healthcare sector benefited from AI-assisted research and development.
AI-accelerated trials are cutting drug development timelines significantly, although exact year reductions vary by company and drug type.
GSK recently unveiled a five-year strategic collaboration on AI for cancer drug discovery, partnering with Noetik in a $50m spend on cancer AI platforms.
Mining’s AI efficiency revolution
Several major UK mining companies already use AI for predictive maintenance, autonomous drilling, and real-time ore optimisation.
Anglo American is establishing an AI Centre of Excellence targeting predictive maintenance on haul fleets and processing plants, with the technology cutting downtime by up to 75% at some operations.
Research suggests that AI spending in mining is expected to grow from $2.7bn in 2024 to $13.1bn by 2029.
Fresnillo (LSE: FRES) has shown particularly strong performance lately, up 115% over the past year.
Why does Fresnillo stand out?
Fresnillo delivered record FY25 results, with revenue up 30.5% year-on-year to £3.42bn and net profit a massive 594% to £1.05bn.
At 128.92c per share, dividends are at their highest ever. This follows a share price boost of roughly 110% over the past year, driven largely by rising gold and silver prices.
But lately, that performance has come under pressure, leading to a 20% monthly decline. Exactly how much of that is tied to precious metals is hard to determine – but it’s safe to say that AI adds its own risks.
The excessive upfront cost of AI investment can drag on short-term profits, not to mention the increase in energy demand. Meanwhile, long-term regulatory uncertainty around AI adds additional risk.
So is it worth considering after the recent rally? I think so, as it still looks affordable, with a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of just 12.3. Add to that a £1.45bn cash position, and I’d say the mining giant has a promising future ahead.
What’s the bottom line for investors?
The UK market’s AI story isn’t about tech stocks – it’s about traditional companies using AI to boost margins, yields, and long-term returns.
By diversifying across these sectors, British investors can capture AI’s industrial revolution without risking it all on speculative tech hype.
For long-term investors, I think these ‘secret’ AI winners offer more reassuring, long-term value.
Should you invest £5,000 in Fresnillo Plc right now?
When investing expert Mark Rogers and his team have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Twelfth Magpie Share Advisor newsletter he has run for nearly a decade has provided thousands of paying members with top stock recommendations from the UK and US markets.
And right now, Mark thinks there are 6 standout stocks that investors should consider buying. Want to see if Fresnillo Plc made the list?
Mark Hartley owns shares in AstraZeneca, GSK, and HSBC.
