While companies continue to rapidly integrate AI based on its promise of increased productivity and efficiency, a pair of recent studies highlight early roadblocks for fulfilling that potential.
C-suite, employees differ on AI productivity gains, AI sentiment: According to a recent Section survey featured in the Wall Street Journal, nearly 80% of C-suite executives believe that AI saves them at least 4 hours each week, while more than 40% believe it saves more than 8 hours. Employees paint a very different picture, with 40% reporting that it saves them no time, and only a little over 30% saying it saves them more than 2 hours.
- Dissonance between C-suite executives, managers, and rank-and-file employees on AI productivity gains and ROI continues to be a major theme of early workplace AI rollout.
- While over 70% of C-suite executives reported excitement over AI, nearly the same percentage of non-management workers reported anxiety instead. Managers and directors were split roughly 50/50 between excitement and anxiety.
- The survey also shows a wide gap in understanding of company AI policy and access between the C-Suite and individual contributors, which reinforces the need for ongoing learning and communication.
- The higher rate of anxiety in lower-wage workers is perhaps mostly due to a fear of losing their jobs – a recent HarrisX poll found that roughly half of surveyed lower-wage workers (defined here as earning under $50k) think they could lose their jobs (or have to change jobs) because of AI.
AI’s hidden productivity tax: Nearly 40% of AI productivity gains are being lost to low-quality output and the need to redo AI’s work, according to new research from Workday. This productivity “tax” is especially high for HR, which reported the highest levels of AI-related rework (38%).
- Only 14% of surveyed workers reported achieving consistent net-positive outcomes from AI use.
- In total, Workday estimated that highly engaged employees lost 1.5 weeks of time per year fixing AI outputs.
Why it matters: The continued divide between different employee populations on AI highlights the importance of thoughtful, deliberate AI rollout strategies predicated on trust and transparency.
- C-suite, management, and rank-and-file employees should be aligned on expectations and realities as much as possible to ensure maximum buy-in – an essential part of successful AI integration.
- While productivity gains clearly differ amongst tasks and functions, they may also vary between employees of different engagement levels, with early data suggesting diminishing returns inversely proportionate to an employee’s level of engagement.
