Artificial intelligence is being hailed as the new productivity booster that will replace jobs, but according to a new study, employees find that AI is actually increasing their workload.
Upwork, a freelance platform, surveyed 2,500 workers across the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Canada who do at least some computer work, including C-suite executives, employees, and freelancers. Here are the key findings:
- The promise of AI: Of C-suite leaders surveyed, 96% said they expect AI to increase productivity. About 37% of C-suite respondents said they expect employees to use AI to increase their output, 30% to take on a wider range of responsibilities, and 20% to work longer hours. Some 39% of companies surveyed are mandating employees use AI, and 46% encourage employees to use AI.
- The implementation: Less than 26% of leaders who expect to use AI to improve productivity offer AI training programs, and only 13% have a well-implemented AI strategy. Meanwhile, 37% of leaders say their workforce is highly skilled with AI, but only 17% of employees agree—38% say they feel overwhelmed by using artificial intelligence tools at work.
- The result: While 65% of employees believe AI can improve productivity, nearly half (47%) of employees using AI say they don’t know how to use it to meet their employer’s productivity expectations.
- Many say it’s actually increasing their workload: 39% spend more time reviewing or moderating the content AI produces, 23% spend extra hours learning to use AI, and 21% are being asked to work more. Overall, 40% of employees feel that their company’s expectations regarding AI use are unrealistic.
“To truly leverage AI’s power, we must fundamentally shift how we organize talent and work,” the report’s authors note. “Bringing greater balance to productivity and well-being requires new ways of working. Doing more with less, ignoring alternative talent pools, and sticking with top-down productivity measurement simply won’t work in the era of AI.”