Mention of artificial intelligence (AI) has proliferated in earnings calls, but only a small percentage of companies are applying it in ways that have a significant impact on their business. A 2025 multi-method study by MIT NANDA (Networked Agents and Distributed AI) found that only 5% of organizations reported measurable ROI from their investments in generative AI. While this research is not representative of all organizations or industries, it does reveal that enthusiasm for AI does not necessarily guarantee business value.
Gallup's own research came to similar conclusions. While the use of AI technology has accelerated over the past two years, access does not necessarily translate into workforce adoption or return on investment. Bottlenecks often stem from unclear local use cases and resistance from middle management and front-line employees. “The irony of labor-saving automation,” he wrote. economist“It means there are a lot of people who get in the way.”
According to Gallup research on AI adoption, managers who actively encourage the use of AI not only accelerate AI adoption, but also help teams identify applications that fit into existing workflows, solve real problems, and generate more value from AI tools. Within organizations that have invested in AI technology, employees who strongly agree that their managers support the use of AI are nearly nine times more likely to strongly agree that AI helps them do their best work every day.
What hinders the adoption of AI? The biggest barrier
Even when organizations begin implementing AI, many employees are unsure of how it fits into their work. When asked to identify the biggest barrier to implementing AI in the workplace, the most common response was unclear use cases or value propositions (16%). These challenges to AI adoption may reflect a situation where the usefulness of AI is not immediately clear, but it also points to concerns about whether AI can evolve and integrate with existing processes and tools. Concerns about legal or privacy risks ranked a close second at 15%, followed by lack of training or necessary knowledge (11%).
###Embeddable###
Many employees still think AI is irrelevant to their jobs
Feedback from people who do not use AI in their jobs confirms that demonstrating the job-specific value and benefits of using AI is fundamental to adoption. Almost half (44%) of these employees say the main reason they don't use AI tools on the job is because they don't believe AI can help them do their jobs.
Only 16% of non-users say they don't use AI, primarily because they don't have access to AI tools within their organization. Others cited resistance to change in the way they work (11%), lack of knowledge on how to use AI tools (10%), fear of using AI tools (8%), or other reasons (10%). These data highlight that real-world AI adoption and value depends on addressing the barriers employees face when using AI tools and demonstrating how those tools can improve their work.
###Embeddable###
What will change with the introduction of AI?
The biggest barriers to AI adoption in business are practical challenges, but leaders can address them with targeted strategies. Gallup has identified four AI adoption best practices associated with increasing AI usage and creating a stronger appreciation of the benefits of AI among employees.
- Communicate a clear strategy for AI integration. Employees are more likely to engage with AI when they determine that the organization has a clear approach, understands the risks and concerns of AI, and is prepared to address them. This shows that the adoption of AI is intentional and related to broader business goals.
- Champions that use AI at the team level. Managers play a critical leadership role in putting AI adoption strategies into action. By proactively supporting the use of AI, modeling its applications, and tying it to the work that employees actually do, managers make organizational planning relevant and actionable.
- We provide role-specific training to maximize value and reduce risk. Organizations should design training based on employees' actual work and include guidance for safe use. This will increase your skills and confidence in using AI effectively.
- Establish clear policies and guidelines for responsible use. With clearly defined and easily accessible policies and guidelines, employees can confidently explore the potential of AI while staying within organizational, legal, and ethical boundaries. Strong policies also address safety concerns that often hinder adoption.
Together, these AI adoption strategies will help employees understand the value of AI in relation to their roles and have the confidence to use it regularly. It also enables managers to provide ongoing guidance and encouragement to transform access into sustainable applications.
Managers lead the way to AI adoption
Because managers have daily connections with employees, they are in a unique position to advocate for AI by modeling its use, answering questions, and demonstrating how AI ties into employees' daily work. According to Gallup data, manager support is most strongly associated with measurable differences in how employees use and evaluate AI. Within organizations that have invested in AI technology, employees who strongly agree that their managers actively support their teams' use of AI include:
- 2.1x more likely to use AI at least several times a week
- 6.5x more likely to strongly agree that AI tools provided by their organization will help them do their jobs
- 8.8x more likely to strongly agree that AI gives them more opportunities to do what they do best every day
Despite these obvious benefits, many employees report a lack of active support from their managers when it comes to using AI. Only 28% of employees in organizations that have started implementing AI technology strongly agree that their managers actively support their teams' use of technology, leaving significant room for improvement. This adoption gap continues to constrain overall AI adoption rates.
###Embeddable###
Turn AI access into results
The potential of AI in the workplace remains for many organizations, but its value goes beyond availability. Adoption and success are most likely when employees have a clear understanding of how AI can be applied to their work and understand its relevance to their work. Managers play a central role in making this connection, guiding their teams to use AI effectively and making it a meaningful component of performance.
Create a leadership strategy that connects AI to the actual needs of your employees.
Learn more about how Gallup panels work. View complete question answers and trends (PDF download).
###Embeddable###
