How AI is Shaping the Future of Work: Key Takeaways from the Microsoft and LinkedIn Work Trend Index

This article was created in partnership with Microsoft. All opinions are my own.

I started in AI nearly 20 years ago, and if you had told me I would be writing an article sharing that 75% of knowledge workers are using generative AI at work, I would have told you it was the year 2050. 

But it’s 2024, and here we are. 

I partnered with Microsoft to get an early look at the 4th annual Work Trend Index—a joint report from Microsoft and LinkedIn—and it’s chock full of eye-opening statistics on AI usage, productivity gains, adoption patterns, and PowerPoint-friendly nuggets. Open the report to read during your next meeting break.  

First, a quick 2024 Annual Work Trend Index sneak peek...

Here are some of the top research nuggets I pulled from the report as well as my top takeaway actions for leaders.

1. Your employees are going to use AI at work–whether you approve it or not. 

Seventy-eight percent (78%) of AI users are bringing their own AI to work. On the surface, hey, this is exciting, right? Your employees are gaining productivity and work fulfillment. In fact, users say that AI helps them:

• Save time (90%)

• Focus on their most important work (85%)

• Be more creative (84%)

• Enjoy their work more (83%)

… but if they’re bringing their own AI tools, they're unsanctioned and put data security at risk. To make matters worse, AI users are new to the field and are hesitant to admit to using AI—46% of AI users only started using these tools in the last 6 months and 52% of AI users are reluctant to admit they get help on their most important tasks.

And that’s leaving leaders in a lurch.

Microsoft found that 60% of leaders worry their organization’s leadership lacks a plan and vision to implement AI. In the absence of a strong employer vision and safe AI playground, employees are taking matters into their own hands, creating an environment for innovation…but with some potential risks.

Takeaway for business leaders: the best start for an enterprise to prepare for the AI age is to set a clear vision, write a clear AI usage policy, provide a safe AI sandbox, and encourage open discussion around adoption.

2. Leaders, managers, and recruiters are on the hunt for a new AI workforce.

With massive investment in AI technology and fast-growth AI startups, it makes sense that hiring for technical AI talent is up 323% in the last 8 years. AI is being rapidly adopted by non-technical roles, too, as hiring managers are now prioritizing resumes with AI proficiency. This year, 66% of leaders surveyed say they wouldn’t hire someone without AI skills. 

As AI has become more integrated into the way we work, 22% of recruiters already say they’re updating job descriptions to reflect the usage of generative AI in the role.

And those companies are reaping the reward—on LinkedIn, job posts that mention AI (generative or otherwise) have seen 17% greater application growth over the past 2 years compared to posts without.

Takeaway for managers: if you haven’t figured out your AI hiring strategy yet, get on it. Several clients I work with have not only increased their AI hiring or partnered with third-party AI providers or development shops, they have also created net-new AI roles internally (like AI Operations Managers) and updated their external job descriptions (JDs) to include skills like AI prompting, AI copilot collaboration, ChatGPT, and more.

3. AI is giving candidates of all backgrounds and experience levels the competitive advantage they need.

Microsoft research discovered a hidden tier of “AI power users” at companies. Power users say they are familiar or extremely familiar with generative AI, use generative AI for their work at least several times a week and have saved more than 30 minutes every day by using it. 

If you want to lead a business through the AI age, you need to put on your Jane Goodall hat and learn what makes these power users different. AI power users have high forethought (they’re more likely to pause before a task and ask if AI can help, +49%), they’re resilient (keep trying if they don’t get the perfect response the first time, +30%), and they’re curious (research and try new prompts, +56%). 

These superhumans say AI makes an overwhelming workload more manageable (92%), boosts their creativity (92%), and keeps them motivated (91%). 

These power users are onto something—69% of people say AI can help get them promoted faster and even more (79%) say AI skills will broaden their future job opportunities. Leaders are recognizing this too—71% of leaders say they’d rather hire a less experienced candidate with AI skills than a more experienced candidate without them. 

In a competitive job market, an AI skill set can be the thing that sets you apart.

Takeaway for candidates: lean into the transformational power of AI, and be ready to adapt. According to the report, the #1 predictor of an AI power user is how frequently they experiment with AI tools. Train yourself to have an AI-first mindset and you’ll be creating your own future.

I barely touched on all of the juicy statistics and findings shared in this report. Whether you’re in sales, engineering, marketing, executive management, or corporate strategy, save this report so you can come back to it when you’re planning for the rest of the year.

...or for when that 11pm PowerPoint ask comes through. 

This article is sponsored by Microsoft. The full Microsoft Work Trend Index 2024 report can be found here, including survey methodology and source information. #MicrosoftPartner #WorkTrendIndex