87 per cent of employees use AI at work, but only 13 per cent of employers actually see the benefits

The Work AI Index 2026 report paints a picture of a paradox: widespread adoption of AI in businesses, yet an organisational impact deemed disappointing by the vast majority of senior management.

According to the Work AI Index 2026, 87 per cent of digital workers now use AI on a daily basis, and 75 per cent of them believe it makes them more productive, saving them around 11 hours a week through the automation of tasks. However, only 13 per cent of organisations report a significant improvement in their overall performance at a company-wide level.

This discrepancy can be partly explained by the fragmented nature of AI usage: individuals adopt AI on their own terms, without these gains adding up to a measurable collective transformation. The report calls on companies to rethink their processes around AI rather than simply overlaying AI tools onto existing workflows.