The latest survey by polling firm
The survey data reveals a core issue: while there are many initial adopters, "heavy users" remain a small minority. Currently, only 26% of employees frequently use AI, and only 12% use it as a daily work tool. At the company level, AI adoption rates in Q4 remained around 38%, with almost no change compared to the previous quarter.
Looking at industry distribution, AI application shows a clear "industry gap":
Technology sector leads: 77% of technology professionals use AI in their work, with 57% being frequent users and 31% using it every day.
Remote work positions favor AI: 66% of remote workers (i.e., desk-based roles) use AI, while this proportion is only 32% for non-remote positions (often involving physical labor).
Leadership and staff are out of sync: Executives use AI more frequently than regular employees and managers, and this gap is widening further.
Gallup analysis suggests that the main reason for the slowdown in workplace AI promotion is the "use-case problem." For ordinary employees, AI does not seem to show clear practical value, and some even believe that AI does not save time but instead increases workload.
Key takeaways:
📉 Growth has reached a plateau: Workplace AI adoption rate increased by only 1% in Q4 2025, shifting from rapid expansion to stagnation.
💻 Application scenarios are limited: AI usage is highly concentrated in the technology, finance, and remote work sectors, while penetration rates in physical labor and non-office environments remain low.
💡 Practicality challenges: Gallup points out that the lack of clear practical application scenarios is the biggest barrier to AI popularization. Leadership needs to rethink how to truly benefit ordinary employees with AI.
