It’s Time to Get Serious about AI

Welcome back to AI at Work, a newsletter and video series that explores unlocking the value and power of AI in the workplace. 

Microsoft recently released our 4th annual Work Trend Index. For the first time, we partnered with LinkedIn on a joint report to provide a comprehensive view of how AI is reshaping work and the labor market more broadly. We surveyed 31,000 people across 31 countries, identified labor and hiring trends, analyzed trillions of Microsoft 365 data points, and conducted research with customers. And the data did not disappoint. It highlights three key implications for AI at work: 

• Employees want AI at work – and they won’t wait for companies to catch up 

• There’s a new AI labor economy 

• The rise of the AI power user – and what they reveal about the future 

AI is here, now comes the hard part 

2024 is the year AI at work gets real. Three in four knowledge workers use AI at work, helping them save time, focus on their most important work, be more creative, and enjoy their work more. But they’re not waiting for their employers to provide it – they’re bringing their own AI to work, potentially putting sensitive data at risk. 

At the same time, 79% of business leaders see AI as essential to staying competitive. But they’re stalled on their vision, with 60% of those leaders concerned that their organization lacks an AI implementation strategy. Under pressure to show immediate ROI that goes beyond personal productivity, they need a plan to move from individual impact to applying AI to drive the bottom line. 

One thing’s for sure: those with a clear vision to use AI to drive growth, profitability, and customer satisfaction will pull ahead. Inevitably, it also means those that don’t will fall behind. 

Employees are using AI to work smarter 

We already know 68% of employees struggle to keep up with the ever-increasing speed and volume of work. And they’re turning to AI for help. Our report finds that power users—the people who use AI extensively at work—are maximizing the benefits of AI.  

They use it at least several times a week, and it saves them more than 30 minutes a day. They also report being happier at work, and able to focus on highest order tasks. We can learn a lot from these people: how they experiment with AI; how they use it to catch up, brainstorm, and problem solve; and how they start and end their day with it. 

The new hiring imperative 

AI is the new competitive edge: 71% of leaders say they’re more likely to hire a less experienced candidate with AI skills than a more experienced one without them. But they’re missing the value of developing their own people, with just a quarter of companies planning to offer training on generative AI this year. And workers aren’t waiting—they’re skilling up. They say they need AI skills to remain competitive, get promoted faster, and broaden their job opportunities. 

So, organizations that empower employees with AI tools and training will attract the best talent, and professionals who skill up will have the edge. 

Fresh perspectives 

A roundup of perspectives and thought-provoking insights from across the web into what AI means for leaders and the future of work. 

• New research from Deloitte finds that young people are anxious and excited about how AI will impact the future of work. 

• Microsoft and LinkedIn CEOs speak exclusively to Good Morning America about what AI means for jobs and how it’s impacting how we work. 

• McKinsey & Company offers five ways for leaders to reimagine work, the workplace, and the worker.  

For more insights into AI and the future of work, subscribe to this newsletter.