AI benefits: 1 in 4 information workers use ChatGPT every week

With 57% of US workers having tried ChatGPT since its launch in 2022, and with searches relating to AI in the workplace reportedly increasing by 350% over the past year*, it appears that use of these advanced tech tools is becoming increasingly common in the workplace.

But what is the reality of AI in the workplace, and how is it affecting workers in the information industry?

To learn more, the experts at AIPRM conducted a survey of 6,000 US workers across 15 industries in order to determine how AI is most commonly being used in the workplace, as well as the benefits and potential drawbacks deemed by US employees.

Key findings for the information industry:

The study found that one in four (21%) workers within the information industry use AI tools on a weekly basis
One in twenty (5%) use AI to write extended prose in the information sector, according to the study
More than two fifths (41%) see AI use leading to enhanced decision making
37% see data security and privacy issues as a potential drawback

How often do workers in the information industry use generative AI tools**?

Frequency	% of information industry respondents
Daily	3%
4-6 times a week	13%
1-3 times a week	8%
Monthly	20%
Rarely (Used it a few times or less)	42%
Never used	14%

**such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and others

The survey found that 24% of workers in the information industry are using AI tools such as ChatGPT more than once per week.

The most common workplace task ChatGPT is used for by the information sector according to the survey was writing extended prose (5%).

In the survey, three percent in the information industry stated that they use ChatGPT to write emails and letters, compared to five percent on average across all industries.

According to the findings, three percent of information sector respondents also stated that they use ChatGPT for job applications, higher than the 1.8% average across all industries.

Over half (56%) of the information sector respondents stated that they rarely or have never used a generative AI tool.

Benefits information workers associate with AI in the workplace

Benefit	% of information industry respondents
Enhance decision-making	41%
Reduce the risk of errors	38%
Increase productivity	37%
Streamline job processes	30%
Reduce response time (i.e. for customer queries)	27%
Improve customer relationships	24%
Save costs	23%
Increase sales	20%
None of the above	5%

More than two fifths (41%) of respondents in the information industry associated enhanced decision-making as a benefit of AI use in the workplace.

Whilst 38% of respondents highlighted that reduced risk of errors is one of the benefits of AI use, 37% agreed that increased productivity is also an associated benefit.

Only five percent of information sector workers surveyed did not agree with any of the listed benefits associated with AI use in the workplace.

Potential drawbacks information workers associate with AI in the workplace

Drawback	% of information industry respondents
Data security and privacy issues	37%
Technical abilities needed to use AI efficiently	31%
Bias errors in AI systems	31%
Technology dependency	28%
Reduction in the human workforce	19%
AI-generated misinformation	15%
Reduce customer relationships	11%
None of the above	11%
Reduce visibility of business on search engines	10%

The potential drawback that became most apparent was data security and privacy issues, with 37% in the information industry agreeing that this is a concern.

Of the information sector respondents surveyed, almost a third (31%) agreed that the technical abilities needed to use AI efficiently was a potential drawback, and a further 31% also saw bias errors in AI systems as a potential drawback.

Methodology:

AIPRM conducted a survey with 6,000 American respondents, collecting gender, age, location, and industry data.
Respondents were asked questions pertaining to their use of AI tools/technology and attitudes towards AI use in the workplace.
The survey was conducted in December 2023.
*350% increase in Google searches in the United States over the past 12 months, according to Google Trends, February 2024.