This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Despite the rapid development of generative AI and the high level of public interest, the use of AI in the day-to-day work of many employees is not yet the norm. This is the finding of the third wave of the Konstanz AI study, for which a total of 1,105 employees were surveyed in May 2026.
The proportion of employees who use AI in their work rose only slightly from 35% to 38% compared with the previous year. The data also show that the adoption of AI is frequently driven by employees rather than being strategically managed by organizations. Only 55% of AI users report that the AI tool they use most frequently was officially introduced by their employer.
Many employees are thus acquiring hands-on experience with AI on their own initiative, while companies are often still catching up in terms of governance, secure infrastructure and workforce training. "In many organizations, the major AI revolution has not unfolded as a planned transformation process so far," explains Florian Kunze, head of the study and professor of organizational behavior at the University of Konstanz. "Instead, many employees are experimenting with AI, while employers are still lagging behind when it comes to establishing clear policies, providing training and implementing secure AI solutions." Disparities between different occupational groups continue to persist.
In office and knowledge-based work, 49% of employees now use AI. Among employees in production-related and manual occupations, by contrast, the figure is only 25%. Despite year-on-year growth in both groups, the divide remains largely unchanged.
This is likely due, at least in part, to the differing scope for AI applications in the respective fields of work. Differences by educational attainment also remain pronounced. While 56% of employees with a high level of education use AI in their work, the figure is only 21% among employees with lower educational attainment.
Employees with higher levels of education also express more positive expectations regarding the technology and speak more openly about its adoption. Organizational size, too, plays a role. Small organizations are significantly less likely to offer AI training, establish formal guidelines for AI use or provide company-owned AI tools.
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