New data reveals AI use has doubled in the last two years, Gallup

It can feel like everyone is using AI at work these days, and new survey data from Gallup confirms the proliferation of the technology.

AI use at the workplace has nearly doubled over the past two years, according to a new poll. Some 27% of US employees use AI in their role “daily” or a “few times per week.”

New Gallup data finds that 40% of US employees report occasionally using AI on the job. That’s a nearly 20% increase from 2023.

“AI writing and editing tools, [and] those kinds of things, have in the last year, I think, just come more to the forefront in people’s minds as available tools,” said Jim Harter, chief scientist of workplace and wellbeing at Gallup. “In terms of use case, people are saying that they’re using AI more for consolidating information, generating ideas, learning new things, and automating basic tasks.”

Gallup’s surveying revealed that white-collar workers are leading the way in AI adoption, up 12 percentage points, though AI usage in blue collar and frontline roles remains flat. Tech, professional services,and finance sectors have higher AI use than other industries, according to the survey.

“I think that some of the newer developments like the chat bots, probably fit more into those types of jobs. I think for the standard production worker, there may be a lot of automation and AI behind the scenes of what they’re doing, but they may not see it as them themselves using AI…If you’re in an office and you’re trying to generate something for a client, or trying to just become more efficient in your work, learn something, query…those kinds of things would appeal more to a white-collar worker,” Harter said.

While AI adoption is growing rapidly, leadership and program design is lagging, the survey revealed. For example, Gallup found that only 22% of employees say their company has communicated a clear AI plan, and just 30% report that their workplace has basic guardrails in place.

“I think the cascade from leadership to management is one factor. That comes down to how engaged the teams are and how much they listen to their manager, ” Harter said. “When they’re more engaged, they’re going to be more likely to be aware.”