Slack Report: Is AI Adoption Heading for a Plateau?
A new report from Slack found employees might not want to discuss AI with their managers for fear of being perceived as “lazy.”
The hype around generative AI may be starting to cool, according to a new Slack report.
The survey of more than 17,000 desk workers worldwide, published on Nov. 12, revealed a disconnect between AI aspirations and adoption rates. The report focused on barriers to AI adoption at work and how leaders can clarify questions about it. The slight dip in global interest is notable after nearly a year of increased excitement around AI.
“AI adoption isn’t just about enterprises, it’s also about employees,” said Christina Janzer, head of Slack’s Workforce Lab, in a press release. “With sentiment around AI dropping, businesses need to help employees accelerate their AI journey and address the cultural and organizational blockers standing in their way.”
AI may not be fulfilling the hype
Slack saw a steady rise in AI adoption from September 2023 to March 2024. At its peak in March 2024, about one-third (32%) of desk workers surveyed had used AI to do their jobs. This percentage began to show a decline or plateau in the last three months.
Specifically:
The U.S. saw just a single percentage point of growth in AI usage, from 32% to 33% of desk workers.
“Excitement” about AI helping with work tasks among global workers dropped by 6%.
Excitement about AI fell 9% over the last three months in the U.S.
Excitement about AI fell 12% over the last three months in France.
Nearly all (99%) of surveyed executives say they will make an investment into AI this year.