Mentions of artificial intelligence (AI) have surged on earnings calls, yet only a small fraction of firms have applied it in ways that have meaningfully affected their business. A 2025 multi-method study from MIT NANDA (Networked Agents and Decentralized AI) found that just 5% of organizations report measurable ROI from their investment in generative AI. While the study may not represent all organizations and industries, it reveals that enthusiasm for AI does not always guarantee business value.
Gallup’s own research finds a similar conclusion. Even as the availability of AI technologies has accelerated in the past two years, access does not necessarily lead to AI adoption among employees or a return on investment. Bottlenecks often stem from unclear localized use cases and resistance from middle managers and frontline employees. “The irony of labour-saving automation,” writes The Economist, “is that people often stand in the way.”
Gallup’s research on AI adoption suggests that managers who actively encourage AI use not only generate higher AI adoption but also help their teams identify applications that fit existing workflows and solve real problems, creating greater value from AI tools. Within organizations that are investing in AI technology, employees who strongly agree their manager supports AI use are nearly nine times as likely to strongly agree that it helps them do what they do best every day.
What Prevents AI Adoption? The Top Barriers
Even in organizations that have begun implementing AI, many employees are unsure how it fits into their work. When asked to identify the greatest barrier to AI adoption in their workplace, the top response was an unclear use case or value proposition (16%). AI adoption challenges like this may reflect situations where an AI’s utility is immediately unclear but also concerns about whether AI can evolve or integrate with existing processes or tools. Concerns about legal or privacy risks ranked a close second at 15%, followed by a lack of training or necessary knowledge (11%).
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Many Employees Still See AI as Irrelevant to Their Work
Input from those who do not use AI in their role reinforces that showing the job-specific value and benefits of AI use is fundamental to adoption. Nearly half (44%) of these employees say the main reason they do not use AI tools in their role is that they don’t believe AI can assist with the work they do.
Just 16% percent of non-users say they don’t use AI primarily because they do not have access to AI tools at their organization. Others cite resistance to change in the way they do their job (11%), lack of knowledge of how to use AI tools (10%), feeling unsafe using AI tools (8%), or some other reason (10%). These data underscore that real AI adoption and value depend on addressing the barriers employees face when using AI tools and showing how those tools can improve their work.
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What Makes a Difference in the Adoption of AI
The top barriers to AI adoption in business present real challenges, but leaders can address them with targeted strategies. Gallup identified four AI adoption best practices associated with higher AI usage and stronger evaluations of its benefits among employees:
- Communicate a clear strategy for AI integration. Employees are more likely to engage with AI when they see that their organization has a defined approach, understands AI risks and concerns, and is prepared to address them. This signals that AI adoption is intentional and connected to broader business goals.
- Champion AI use at the team level. Managers play a vital leadership role in translating the AI adoption strategy into action. By actively supporting AI use, modeling its application, and connecting it to the work employees actually do, managers make organizational plans relevant and practical.
- Provide role-specific training that maximizes value and mitigates risk. Organizations should design training based on employees’ actual tasks and include guidance for secure use. This builds skill and confidence in using AI effectively.
- Establish clear policies and guidelines for responsible use. Well-defined, accessible policies and guidelines give employees the confidence to explore AI’s potential while staying within organizational, legal, and ethical boundaries. Strong policies also address safety concerns that often deter adoption.
When combined, these AI adoption strategies help employees see AI’s value in the context of their own role and build the confidence to use it regularly. They also position managers to deliver the ongoing guidance and encouragement that turn access into sustained application.
Managers Lead the Way to AI Adoption
Because of their day-to-day connection with employees, managers are uniquely positioned to champion AI by modeling its use, answering questions and showing how it connects to employees’ daily work. Gallup data show that manager support has the strongest association with measurable differences in how employees use and value AI. Within organizations that are investing in AI technology, employees who strongly agree their manager actively supports their team’s use of AI are:
- 2.1 times as likely to use AI a few times a week or more
- 6.5 times as likely to strongly agree that the AI tools provided by their organization are useful for their work
- 8.8 times as likely to strongly agree that AI gives them more opportunities to do what they do best every day
Despite these clear benefits, many employees report a lack of active support from their managers when it comes to using AI. Only 28% of employees in organizations that have begun implementing AI technologies strongly agree their manager actively supports their team’s use of the technology, leaving significant room for improvement. This adoption gap continues to hold down overall AI adoption rates.
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Turn AI Access Into Results
The potential of AI in the workplace remains for many organizations, but its value depends on more than availability. Adoption and results are most likely when employees clearly understand how they can apply AI to their work and see its relevance to what they do. Managers play a central role in illustrating this relevance, guiding their teams in using AI effectively and making it a meaningful factor in performance.
Create a leadership strategy that connects AI to real employee needs.
Learn more about how the Gallup Panel works. View complete question responses and trends (PDF download).
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