- The latest AI at Work study by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) shows a sharp increase in AI usage among the office workforce, but the actual impact on productivity and business value remains unclear.
- Approximately 74% of non-managerial office workers report using AI regularly, a 23-percentage-point increase from a year ago.
- More than 40% of regular AI users state they save at least one workday per week thanks to AI tools.
- Despite significant time savings, many organizations still do not know how to convert the surplus time into measurable business value.
- BCG notes that AI does not simply replace jobs; rather, it requires businesses to redefine the value that humans bring to the workflow.
- The study’s results question the assumption that investing hundreds of billions of dollars in AI will automatically generate productivity growth.
- Nearly 50% of survey participants said they spend more time managing and directing AI than performing tasks directly.
- About two-thirds of regular AI users feel their job satisfaction has improved thanks to this technology.
- However, 41% of respondents stated that AI increases cognitive load, making work more complex.
- BCG calls this phenomenon the “joy paradox,” where AI makes work better yet puts more pressure on workers.
- The survey was conducted with nearly 12,000 workers across various industries in 14 countries and territories.
- AI Agents are emerging rapidly, with 30% of participants reporting that these tools have been integrated into their workflows, more than doubling from the previous year.
- More than 60% of respondents believe that AI Agents could handle at least half of their work within the next three years. Non-managerial employees in India, Brazil, and South Africa have regular AI usage rates higher than the global average, while the US, France, and Italy are below this average.
- 📌 Conclusion: The BCG survey shows that AI has become a widespread tool, with 74% of office workers using it regularly and more than 40% saving at least one workday per week. However, many businesses have not yet converted that benefit into clear business value. While 30% of workflows have integrated AI Agents and over 60% of workers believe AI Agents can take over half of their work in the next three years, nearly 50% still have to spend a lot of time managing AI, and 41% feel an increased cognitive load.
