As artificial intelligence reshapes industries, how many American workers are actually using it in their jobs? A recent Pew Research Center survey sheds light on AI adoption in the workplace, revealing that most workers have little to no interaction with AI at work.
Only 16% of employed adults say that at least some of their work involves AI, while a significant 63% say AI plays little or no role in their tasks. Surprisingly, 17% of workers have not even heard of AI being used in the workplace, highlighting a significant awareness gap.
Yet, when asked about AI’s potential, many workers recognize its capabilities.
Among those who say they don’t currently use AI, 31% believe that some of their job tasks could be done with AI, even if they are not yet leveraging it themselves. However, despite AI’s increasing presence in the workforce, most workers are not actively preparing for it, only 24% of those who pursued job-related training in the past year focused on AI skills.
This disconnect raises concerns about whether the workforce is adequately preparing for an AI-driven future.
Why It Matters: Businesses are integrating AI into various job functions, from data analysis to customer service. However, low AI adoption rates and limited training indicate that workers may not be keeping pace with technological advancements. Understanding these trends helps policymakers, businesses, and workers themselves address the AI readiness gap and ensure the workforce is equipped for the job market.
- AI Usage in the Workplace Is Still Limited
- The majority of workers (63%) say none or very little of their job involves AI, while only 16% report using AI in some capacity.
- Among these AI users, only 2% say most or all of their job relies on AI, showing that even among users, AI’s role is relatively small.
- Workers over 50 years old are less likely to use AI (13%) compared to those aged 18-49 (17%), suggesting younger employees may be more open to AI adoption.
- The AI Awareness Gap: Many Workers Don’t Know About AI at Work
- A notable 17% of workers have not even heard about AI being used in their workplace.
- This lack of awareness is higher among workers with less formal education, with 23% of those with some college or less unaware of AI’s role, compared to just 8% of bachelor’s degree holders.
- This suggests a potential divide in both exposure to and engagement with AI, which could lead to further disparities in job opportunities and skill development.
- Non-AI Users See AI’s Potential, But Remain Skeptical
- Among those who don’t use AI at work, 31% believe at least some of their work could be done with AI, including 4% who say most or all of their tasks could be AI-driven.
- However, 45% of non-AI users still believe that AI would have little to no impact on their job functions.
- Education plays a role in this perception: 44% of workers with a bachelor’s degree say AI could be applied to their work, compared to 22% of those with some college or less education.
- AI Users Tend to Be Younger and More Educated
- AI users in the workforce are more likely to be younger (73% under age 50) and highly educated (51% with a bachelor’s degree or higher).
- AI adoption also correlates with industry type: workers in banking, finance, accounting, real estate, and insurance (10%) and information and technology fields (12%) are more likely to use AI than those in other sectors.
- Jobs that involve data processing are significantly more AI-driven, with 63% of AI users working in data-related roles compared to just 42% of non-AI users.
- AI Training Remains a Low Priority for Most Workers
- About 51% of workers reported participating in some form of job-related training in the past year.
- However, only 24% of those who received training focused on AI skills, suggesting that AI is not yet a major focus of workforce development efforts.
- Interestingly, there is no major difference in AI training participation by age or education level, meaning even highly educated workers are not significantly more likely to train in AI skills.
- Workers still prioritize other skills, 70% or more say communication, critical thinking, and basic computer skills are more essential for success in today’s economy than AI knowledge.
