Majority of US Employees Using AI at Work, Survey Finds

More than half (56%) of U.S. workers said they use generative AI (GenAI), a type of AI that uses machine learning algorithms to create outputs based on a training data set, despite most companies lacking an artificial intelligence (AI) policy, a Conference Board survey found.

Most US Workers Use GenAI in the Office, Some Daily

The majority of workers in the U.S. already are using GenAI at work, some on a consistent basis. Nine percent of workers use GenAI daily, according to the Conference Board survey.

Tasks Completed With GenAI Meet Quality Standards, Limited in Scope, Workers Report

Most employees believe that work using GenAI is of the same quality as that done by a human. Roughly three-quarters believe that the quality of work done by GenAI is comparable to that of an experienced or expert worker, with 45% saying that it is equal to an experienced worker and 10% indicating that it is the same as an expert worker.

While most workers are using GenAI, the scope of its use seems to be confined to foundational tasks that are typically supplemented later. The most common instances when workers use GenAI involve text, with 68% of respondents using it to draft written content, 60% using AI to brainstorm, and 50% conducting background research.

Few Companies Have Official AI Policies

While most workers are using GenAI, few employers have developed policies to guide their use of the emerging technology. Around a quarter (26%) of respondents reported that their company has an AI policy. The gap between workers’ growing use of GenAI and companies’ lack of policies could raise issues, the Conference Board said.

Most Workers See AI as Tool, Not Threat

With nearly two-thirds of respondents (63%) reporting that they believe GenAI use has positively affected their productivity, it seems that workers find the technology helpful and efficient.

“Few people we surveyed foresee AI technology as a threat to replace their jobs entirely. Rather, they appear to be embracing AI as a solution for repetitive or tedious parts of their work, freeing up bandwidth for more productive and valuable uses of their time,” Diana Scott, leader of the Conference Board Human Capital Center, said.

Some worker see AI replacing some elements of their work, though only 4% said that this would be a negative thing that could result in AI's replacing their job entirely. In comparison, 33% of respondents said it would be positive when AI replaces some elements of their work; 24% indicated that they don't feel AI can replace any part of their job.