More companies are pushing employees to use AI at work. While adoption remains low, firms like Microsoft and Moderna are linking AI use to job reviews or offering training. Clear goals, support, and solving real problems help boost usage and confidence in AI.
As companies invest billions in artificial intelligence, employees are being asked to prove they’re using it.
Despite quick AI growth, most employees aren't using it daily yet. A Gallup study found that only 8 per cent of workers in the United States use AI tools daily, up from 4 per cent a year ago. Even when companies claim they have adopted AI, usage by employees remains limited as of now.
KPMG surveyed over 48,000 workers worldwide and found that 27 per cent said they never intentionally used AI at work, while only 17 per cent said they used it daily. This slow adoption is raising concerns for companies that have spent large sums on AI integration.
Many companies are now making AI usage mandatory. Microsoft has told managers to include AI tool adoption as part of employee performance evaluations. “AI is now a fundamental part of how we work,” Microsoft’s internal communication reportedly said.
Julia Liuson, president of Microsoft’s developer division, stated that like collaboration and communication, using AI is now a basic expectation across roles. The company is also exploring formal tracking of AI tool usage.
While Microsoft uses mandates, pharmaceutical company Moderna has chosen a training-based model. In just six months, nearly all digital employees at Moderna began using ChatGPT Enterprise. The company created 750 custom GPTs and merged its HR and tech teams to support adoption.
Moderna focused on solving real business problems using AI. For example, legal teams created AI assistants for reviewing contracts, and clinical teams developed tools to analyse trial data. As a result, the company reports over 120 AI chats per user each week.
Studies show that when employees understand how AI helps their work, they are more likely to use it. Gallup found that when leaders clearly communicate their AI strategy, employees are three times more likely to feel ready to work with AI. Those with experience using AI also report higher confidence in its benefits.
Companies with volunteer pilot programmes, targeted training, and specific use cases see the most success. Firms that focus on solving real problems, rather than simply pushing usage, have better results.