New Delhi

The 2024 Work Trend Index by Microsoft and LinkedIn solidifies the prevailing notion: Artificial Intelligence is not a fad, but a technology that is changing the way people work.

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Three major trends emerge out of the report, born out of a survey involving 31,000 'knowledge workers' — employees working at a desk, either in an office or remotely — across 31 countries.  

1) Employees are increasingly using AI at their workplace, with at least 75 per cent of the respondents claiming to use AI for work. In fact, AI usage has nearly doubled between September 2023 and March 2024. An overwhelming percentage of employees, especially in small and medium-sized businesses, are using their own AI tools to work. Nearly 80 per cent of employees believe that AI skills will broaden their job opportunities.

2) AI is increasingly becoming the top professional skill to possess. Sixty-six per cent of corporate leaders say they won't hire someone without AI skills. In fact, companies are more likely to hire a less experienced but AI-skilled candidate, than a more experienced candidate with no AI skills. In an indication of its rising stock in the corporate world, there was a 142-fold increase in AI skills like Copilot and ChatGPT being added to LinkedIn profiles last year.

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3) AI is increasingly aiding employees' creativity and productivity. The report dubs frequent AI users as 'power users', who utilise the power of prompts to save more than 30 minutes in a day. They are the ones who experiment with the power of AI to enhance their user experience. At least 92 per cent of 'power users' say that AI boosts their creativity. Over 90 per cent of them also add that the technology helps them focus on the most important work and enjoy their job.

While AI use is proliferating at a personal level, corporate leaders are still figuring out a way to scale up. A big factor hindering AI's growth in workplaces is inertia. At least 60 per cent believe that their organisation lacks a plan and vision to implement AI for revenue generation.

"The pressure to show immediate Return of Investment (ROI) is making leaders inert, even in the face of AI inevitability," notes the report. Many employers are also worried about quantifying the productivity gains of AI, which is further delaying mass adoption.

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The report urges the corporate world to shun its inhibitions and embrace AI. "As we reach the hard part of this tech disruption — turning experimentation into tangible business impact — companies that face the challenge head-on will surge ahead," concludes the report.