Artificial intelligence (AI) has become increasingly embedded in the professional activities of American workers over recent years, according to data from a comprehensive Gallup Workforce survey conducted this autumn. This survey encompassed responses from over 22,000 employed adults across the United States.
It found that 12% of the workforce currently uses AI on a daily basis as part of their job functions. Additionally, close to 25% reported engaging with AI tools frequently, defined as several times per week. Nearly half of those surveyed said they used AI at least a few times annually. These figures mark a clear increase from 21% who indicated some level of AI usage back in 2023, coinciding with the mainstream impact of generative AI applications such as ChatGPT, which facilitate tasks like email drafting, coding, document summarization, image creation, and question answering.
One notable example is Gene Walinski, a 70-year-old Home Depot associate stationed in the electrical department in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Walinski utilizes an AI assistant on his personal device approximately every hour to provide precise responses when customers inquire about supplies beyond his immediate knowledge. He emphasized the essential role AI plays in maintaining service quality and avoiding uninformative responses that customers dislike.
Industry-Specific Patterns in AI Engagement
Adoption rates for AI are particularly pronounced among workers in the technology sector, where around 60% report using AI tools frequently, and nearly 30% engage with AI daily. From 2023 onward, the incidence of regular daily AI use in technology fields has grown markedly, though some evidence suggests the pace of adoption may be tapering after a surge between 2024 and 2025.
In the financial sector, AI is also rapidly becoming part of daily workflows. Andrea Tanzi, a 28-year-old investment banker at Bank of America in New York, relies on AI tools to condense voluminous datasets and documents that would typically require hours to process manually. His routine incorporates the use of an internal AI chatbot named Erica, which assists with administrative responsibilities.
Professions in education and professional services also show notable engagement with AI technology. Many educators, including high school teacher Joyce Hatzidakis from Riverside, California, use AI chatbots to refine communication with parents, aligning tone and clarity to reduce misunderstandings and complaints. Hatzidakis initially started with ChatGPT and later transitioned to Google’s Gemini when it became the school district’s endorsed platform. She additionally employs AI to aid in writing recommendation letters, streamlining repetitive tasks while maintaining the sincerity of praise.
Gallup's earlier surveys reveal that a majority of employees leveraging AI rely on chatbot interfaces or virtual assistants. About 40% of AI users at work employ the technology to aggregate data, generate ideas, or expand their knowledge base.
Benefits, Challenges, and Workforce Dynamics
The expanded utilization of AI tools is strongly promoted by both industry stakeholders and government initiatives, aiming to increase adoption across workplaces and educational institutions. This momentum is partly driven by the substantial investment in AI infrastructure, which requires growing user bases to sustain the energy-intensive operations supporting these technologies.
Nonetheless, assessments among economists diverge on AI’s net effects on productivity and employment trends. According to Sam Manning, a fellow at the Centre for the Governance of AI and contributor to reports for the Brookings Institution and the National Bureau of Economic Research, workers most exposed to AI tend to possess characteristics favoring adaptability. These individuals often have higher educational attainment, versatile skill sets, and financial reserves to cushion potential income disruptions.
Conversely, Manning identifies a vulnerable subset of approximately 6.1 million U.S. workers, predominantly in administrative and clerical occupations, who face pronounced challenges adapting to AI-induced changes. This group is largely comprised of older women concentrated in smaller urban centers with limited alternative employment opportunities, and often lacking transferable skills and savings to withstand labor market shocks.
Despite rising AI penetration in many sectors, a 2025 Gallup Workforce survey reveals modest concern among employees about the threat of job displacement from automation or AI over the next five years. Approximately half of respondents consider such displacement unlikely, though this figure represents a decline from 60% who thought so in 2023.
Illustrating workforce sentiment, Reverend Michael Bingham, pastor of the Faith Community Methodist Church in Jacksonville, Florida, expressed skepticism about AI’s role in his vocation. He recounted an unsatisfactory interaction with an AI chatbot about a theological topic and affirmed the primacy of human empathy in pastoral care and sermon preparation.
Usage of AI remains less prevalent in traditionally service-oriented industries such as retail, healthcare, and manufacturing. Gene Walinski’s experience at Home Depot typifies this pattern: the company neither mandated AI use nor discouraged his independent engagement with AI tools. Walinski remains confident in the enduring importance of human interaction within the retail environment, emphasizing that customer service fundamentally relies on personal connections rather than automated processes.
Methodology: Gallup’s workforce surveys employ a probabilistic sampling approach targeting U.S. adults aged 18 and older, both full- and part-time employees across various organizations. The latest data cycle included 22,368 respondents surveyed between October 30 and November 13, 2025. The overall margin of sampling error stands at plus or minus one percentage point.