AI is increasingly becoming an essential component of business operations, often working behind the scenes to enhance productivity.

A new global study by Freshworks reveals significant benefits for companies and knowledge workers who leverage AI tools.

Freshworks’ survey of over 7,000 full-time employees shows that AI is being widely adopted and trusted in the workplace. Notably, 55% of employees use AI-enhanced applications at work, and 72% trust AI to add value to their work processes. Furthermore, 81% of employees believe that AI improves the quality of work and team productivity.

AI’s Impact on Productivity

AI is delivering substantial productivity gains by helping employees manage their workloads more efficiently. Surveyed employees reported that AI tools save them an average of three hours and 47 minutes per workweek by assisting with tasks like summarising reports, suggesting next steps, and handling repetitive tasks. This time savings equates to nearly 24 business days per year, allowing employees to focus on higher-value work.

While IT departments lead in AI adoption, other departments are quickly catching up. IT departments report an 85% weekly usage rate, followed by marketing at 80% and HR at 69%. The legal department lags behind at 45%, likely due to their focus on risk management. Generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, are most commonly used by marketing teams (41%), followed closely by IT (39%).

Career Growth and AI Skills Development

Employees recognise the importance of AI for career advancement. According to the Freshworks report, 70% of workers are actively seeking to develop their AI skill set to remain competitive. Additionally, 37% of respondents indicated that their companies are adopting AI due to competitive pressure or fear of missing out on the latest technological advancements.

As AI continues to transform the workplace, its role in enhancing productivity and driving career growth becomes increasingly evident. Companies and employees alike are recognising the need to adapt and integrate AI tools to stay competitive in the evolving job market.