How workers adapt to AI at work

With artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly transforming the workplace, how are employees adapting to this technological revolution? Our recent study of 1,008 U.S. workers across various industries and company sizes reveals surprising insights into the impact of AI on daily job responsibilities, productivity, and job satisfaction.

From time-saving benefits to new skill development, this article offers a glimpse into how AI is reshaping work life and the mixed emotions it's stirring up among the current workforce. We'll examine the effects of AI integration on workflows, job security concerns, and the confidence levels of workers facing an AI-driven future.

Key takeaways

51% of workers feel that AI has made their daily job responsibilities easier.
33% of workers report better work-life balance, and 25% note improved mental health, but nearly 10% suffer worsened mental health due to AI integration.
Overall, workers reported saving an average of 1.7 hours daily at work (8.5 hours weekly) thanks to AI integration.
38% of workers reported improved job satisfaction since AI integration.
Since its integration in the workplace, 67% of workers have learned how to prompt AI to adapt to changes.

Summary/Overview

Levels

Transforming workflows

Integrating AI into workplace processes has significantly altered how employees approach their daily tasks and responsibilities. This section explores the impact of AI on job efficiency and productivity across various industries and organizational levels.

how has the integration of AI impacted U.S. workers

AI tools — which can assist with everything from coding to making a presentation from text and creating blog posts — have streamlined work processes for many of the employees we surveyed. More than half of workers (51%) reported that AI has made their daily job responsibilities easier. The impact was particularly pronounced among workers in tech (70%), marketing (67%), and retail (59%), who were the most likely to have experienced this benefit.

The effects of AI integration varied across organizational hierarchies and generations. Managers were more likely than their subordinates to report easier daily responsibilities, with 62% of managers noting improvements compared to 47% of employees.

The integration of AI into workflows resulted in significant time savings as well, with workers reporting an average of 1.7 hours saved daily, equivalent to 8.5 hours weekly. Generational differences also emerged here: Gen Z workers (70% of whom use generative AI tools) reported the highest daily time savings, averaging two hours daily (10 hours weekly). In comparison, millennials have saved 1.7 hours daily, Gen Xers have saved 1.5 hours, and baby boomers have saved 1.3 hours.

Increased productivity and efficiency were reported across companies of all sizes, with a slight edge for smaller organizations. The percentage of workers feeling more productive and efficient with AI tools at their disposal varied by company size:

Micro companies (1-9 employees): 66%
Small companies (10-49 employees): 64%
Medium companies (50-249 employees): 63%
Large enterprises (250+ employees): 61%

These findings illustrate AI's potential to enhance workplace efficiency and productivity across diverse sectors and organizational structures.

Effects on job contentment and security

Integrating AI into workplace processes can make jobs easier and more rewarding. By simplifying tasks and automating repetitive work, it's helping many employees focus on what they do best, improving both their satisfaction and well-being in the workplace.

U.S. workers' job satisfaction since AI integration

Since AI tools became part of their workflows, 33% of workers reported improved work-life balance, and 25% noted better mental health. AI tools have also led to greater job satisfaction for 38% of workers overall. Although 36% of workers were concerned about their job security, only 7% reported reduced job satisfaction, and less than 10% experienced worsened mental health with AI integration.

AI's positive impact was greater in smaller organizations, with 42% of workers from medium, small, and micro companies reporting increased job satisfaction compared to 34% of those in large enterprises. Industries where workers most often reported improved job satisfaction included tech (57%), marketing (48%), and retail (38%) — the same three which also saw the highest percentages of workers saying AI has made their jobs easier.

Enhancing workflow processes

As AI becomes more prevalent in the workplace, employees are adapting to new technologies and developing essential skills. Let's see how workers are responding to AI-driven changes and the support they're receiving from their employers.

new skills acquired by U.S. workers because of AIs' use

The majority of workers (67%) have successfully learned how to prompt AI to adapt to changes since its integration, demonstrating a widespread ability to engage with these new tools. This adaptability was reflected in the high level of confidence among workers, with nearly three-quarters (74%) feeling confident about their ability to adapt to future AI-driven changes. Tech and education workers showed particularly high confidence levels, with 83% and 77%, respectively, feeling capable of adapting to AI-driven changes.

However, not all workers shared this confidence. One-tenth of workers reported feeling uncertain about their ability to adapt to AI-driven changes. And although AI can speed up marketing content creation in many ways (including generating images in seconds), marketing professionals were the most likely to express concerns about their ability to adapt (14%).

One way employers can mitigate this uncertainty is through supporting employee upskilling. Overall, 82% of employees have received this support, but this support varied by company size. The percentages of workers who have gotten support from their employers to upskill were as follows:

Micro companies (1-9 employees): 69%
Small companies (10-49 employees): 80%
Medium companies (50-249 employees): 82%
Large enterprises (250+ employees): 86%

These findings highlight the ongoing process of adaptation to AI in the workplace, with most workers embracing the changes and feeling supported by their employers. However, many may have needed more support and training, particularly those in smaller companies and marketing fields (where confidence levels were lower).

Reinventing workflows with AI

The integration of AI into the workplace offers benefits while also presenting challenges. While many workers have embraced AI and experienced increased productivity and job satisfaction, others have grappled with job security and mental health concerns. AI has also had varying impacts across industries, company sizes, and job roles, all of which need tailored approaches to AI implementation and employee support.

The future of work is here — and AI is shaping individual and organizational success. As with any new technology, adaptability and continuous learning will be key to thriving in the evolving workplace.

Methodology

For this campaign, we surveyed 1,008 employed people in the U.S. to explore their sentiments regarding the impact of AI as part of their workflows. Among them, 49% worked in large-sized companies (250+ employees), 25% worked in medium-sized companies (50-249 employees), 17% worked in small-sized companies (10-49 employees), and 9% worked in micro-sized companies (1-9 employees).

The industry breakdown was as follows: