How AI Is Changing US Workplaces Today
184Artificial intelligence is making its way into US offices and factories, but its use isn’t uniform. Some industries and roles are adopting AI more quickly than others. A new survey from Gallup sheds light on how workers are engaging with AI, who benefits most, and where uncertainty remains about its presence in the workplace.
Where AI Is Being Used Most
AI adoption is strongest in knowledge-based sectors like technology, finance, and professional services. In these fields, many workers are regularly using AI tools. For example, over 75% of IT employees report using AI at least a few times a year. In finance and professional services, that number is just under 60%. These roles often involve digital workflows and information analysis, which AI can assist with easily.
On the other hand, sectors with more manual or customer-facing tasks show lower AI use. About a third of retail workers say they use AI as often as office workers do. Healthcare and manufacturing employees tend to use AI more than retail workers, but still less than office-based roles. It’s clear that AI fits naturally into desk jobs that focus on data and digital tasks.
Understanding AI Adoption and Worker Awareness
The survey also found many workers are unsure whether their employer uses AI. Nearly a quarter of respondents didn’t know if AI was being used in their organization. In the third quarter of 2025, just over a third of employees said their company had adopted AI. Meanwhile, 40% said their workplace had no AI at all.
Interestingly, earlier surveys didn’t include a “don’t know” option, so respondents often guessed about their employer’s AI use. Once the survey explicitly allowed workers to say they weren’t sure, it became clear that many employees are simply unaware of AI efforts at their jobs. Non-managerial staff and part-time workers tend to be less informed about whether AI is part of their workplace. The further removed they are from decision-making, the less they seem to know.
How Employees Are Using AI
Those who do use AI tend to focus on tasks like gathering information, searching for data, and generating ideas. These are skills that current AI platforms handle well. More than 60% of AI users rely on chatbots for their work, and this use has stayed consistent since 2024.
Overall, AI is mostly assisting with digital tasks that require processing large amounts of information. Its use is growing, but it’s still mostly concentrated in jobs that involve cognitive work. Many workers in manual or customer-facing roles are just beginning to explore what AI can do for them.
As AI technology advances, it’s likely that more workplaces will adopt it, but the pace and scope will vary widely. Understanding where and how AI is used today helps us see the trends shaping the future of work in the US.
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