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Artificial intelligence is permeating workplaces, and despite fears that the technology will replace workers, some overwhelmed employees are embracing it for productivity, a new report from Microsoft and LinkedIn finds.
The companies surveyed 31,000 people across 31 countries, and analyzed labor and hiring trends to collect data for the report.
What they found was illuminating: three in four workers are using generative AI in the workplace, with 46% saying they started using AI in the last six months. Ninety percent of workers reported that using AI saves them time, and 84% said it helps boost creativity so employees can focus on other work. Meanwhile, 78% of employees across age groups said they are bringing their own AI tools into the office.
One driver of employees using AI tools at work is a struggle to keep up with the pace and volume of their work, with 68% of respondents reporting this challenge and 48% of workers saying they feel burned out.
Of course, Microsoft is making big bets in the AI arena, especially with its Copilot office product — so gleaning workers’ sentiment around the technology is a savvy move for its own operations. Quartz’s Britney Nguyen looks into what else the survey uncovered.
Quotable: Toxic culture karma
“I’m not your mom. I only care about results.” — Qu Jing, Chinese tech giant Baidu’s former head of public relations, in videos she posted of herself about lessons for employees on Douyin, China’s TikTok
Qu’s taped comments were met with instant outcry on social media over her seeming glorification of an intense work culture that is pervasive among Chinese tech companies. But now it looks like Qu’s threats to make employees jobless have made her the one that’s out of a job.
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Send questions, comments, and karma wins to talk@qz.com. This edition of The Memo was written by Britney Nguyen, Rocio Fabbro, and Morgan Haefner.