Dr. Gleb Tsipursky – The Office Whisperer
Nirit Cohen – WorkFutures
Angela Howard – Culture Expert
Drew Jones – Design & Innovation
Jonathan Price – CRE & Flex Expert
Mentions of artificial intelligence have exploded across corporate earnings calls, yet few organizations can point to tangible business results. A 2025 analysis by MIT’s Networked Agents and Decentralized AI (NANDA) initiative found that only about 5% of companies report a measurable return on investment from their generative AI projects.
The study suggests that while excitement around AI adoption continues to grow, actual integration and impact remain limited. Many businesses are experimenting, but few have found ways to make AI meaningfully improve operations or revenue.
Adoption Stalls Despite Easy Access
Research from Gallup supports the same conclusion: access to AI tools is no guarantee of real adoption, it takes manager support.
Resistance often comes from the middle, with managers and frontline workers struggling to see clear value in applying automation to daily tasks. Even as new technologies become widely available, many employees are unsure how AI fits into their roles.
Cultural and operational inertia, rather than technology itself, often block progress. AI may promise to save labor, but it’s people who ultimately determine whether those tools are used effectively.
The Real Barriers: Unclear Value and Knowledge Gaps
When employees were asked what holds back AI use in their workplace, the most common answer was uncertainty about its purpose. Sixteen percent cited a lack of a clear use case or value proposition. Close behind were concerns over privacy and legal risks (15%) and a lack of training or expertise (11%).
These figures show that the challenge is not access to AI systems but the absence of clarity, trust, and understanding about how they enhance existing work.
Most Workers Still Don’t See AI as Relevant
Among employees who don’t use AI at all, nearly half (44%) said they simply don’t believe it can help with their specific responsibilities. Only a small minority (16%) said they lacked access to AI tools, meaning the technology often sits idle.
Others admitted to resisting changes in their routines (11%) or not knowing how to use AI effectively (10%). A smaller share (8%) said they felt unsafe using AI applications.
Together, these insights reveal that skepticism and uncertainty remain significant obstacles to adoption.
What Drives Successful AI Adoption
Gallup’s data points to four practices that separate successful AI adopters from those still struggling to integrate it:
- Clear strategy and communication – Organizations that explain why and how they’re adopting AI create a sense of purpose and alignment.
- Manager-level advocacy – When managers model AI use and encourage experimentation, employees are far more likely to follow.
- Role-specific training – Teaching staff how AI fits into their exact tasks reduces fear and increases confidence.
- Strong governance and policies – Clear rules for responsible use build trust and help mitigate security or compliance concerns.
These steps help employees see AI not as a distant corporate initiative, but as a practical tool that improves their day-to-day work.
Managers Make or Break AI Adoption
Managers are the most powerful drivers of workplace AI adoption, according to Gallup’s findings. Employees whose managers actively promote and support AI use are:
- Twice as likely to use AI regularly,
- Six times more likely to find AI tools helpful to their work, and
- Almost nine times more likely to say AI helps them do their best work.
Yet, only about 28% of employees say their manager currently plays that supportive role. Without active engagement at the team level, even well-funded AI programs risk failing to take root.
