The use of generative AI has almost doubled in the past six months, with 75% of global knowledge workers now utilizing it. Employees, overwhelmed by the pace and volume of work, are increasingly bringing their own AI tools to the workplace. Although leaders recognize AI as essential for business, many feel their organizations lack a clear plan to transition from individual AI use to leveraging it for significant business impact. The urgency to demonstrate immediate ROI is causing hesitation, even as AI becomes unavoidable.
We are now at the critical juncture of any technological disruption: moving beyond experimentation to business transformation. Like the internet and personal computers before, true transformation comes with widespread adoption. Companies that harness AI to drive growth, control costs, and deliver more value to customers will gain a competitive edge.
Simultaneously, the labor market is poised for another shift, with AI playing a key role. Despite concerns about job losses, leaders report a shortage of talent for crucial positions. As employees consider career changes, AI proficiency is becoming as valuable as experience. For many, AI will raise expectations but also open new career opportunities.
- Users report AI helps them save time (90%), focus on their most important tasks (85%), be more creative (84%), and enjoy their work more (83%).
- The most active Teams users (top 5%) summarized 8 hours of meetings using Copilot in March, equivalent to an entire workday.
- 78% of AI users are bringing their own AI tools to work (BYOAI), with this practice even more prevalent in small and medium-sized companies (80%).
