Slack’s latest Workforce Index suggest a significant increase in AI adoption and excitement among employees around the globe. The research indicates a daily AI usage higher by 233% in just six months. The survey of 5,000 global desk workers, including over 800 respondents from the UK, found that AI has emerged as a clear competitive advantage.
Workers who use AI daily prove to be 64% more productive and 81% more satisfied with their job than colleagues not using AI. In the UK, the benefits are even more pronounced. Daily AI users report an 82% increase in productivity and a 106% boost in job satisfaction.
The Index reveals that across the globe workers are using AI to level up, going beyond just automating tasks. 96% of workers have used AI to perform tasks they previously didn’t have the skills to do themselves. Today’s workers are 154% more likely to turn to AI agents to help them perform tasks better and more creatively. Rather than to just simply automate their work.
“The surge in AI adoption is fundamentally reshaping the workplace,” said Denise Dresser, CEO of Slack. “As workers embrace AI with growing trust and confidence, businesses gain a clear opportunity to unlock greater productivity and innovation, while workers grow more confident and fulfilled.”
Salesforce perspective
“When it comes to workers and AI, the data shows us that seeing is believing,” says Lucas Puente, VP of Research. “As workers actually use and experiment with AI agents, their trust and enthusiasm in this technology grows. We see them leveraging agents to unlock new skills and opportunities in their everyday work.”
Global numbers
- AI adoption, trust and excitement are soaring. Since November 2024:
- AI adoption among workers has risen 50%, with 60% of workers now using AI.
- Daily AI usage among workers is 233% higher.
- 40% of workers have worked with an agent – and 23% have offloaded tasks to agents complete on their behalf.
- Daily users of AI agents are more than 2x more likely to express high trust in AI across areas like data protection, accuracy, and decision-making.
- Millennials are emerging as the surprise AI power user at work.
- 30% of Millennials say they thoroughly understand AI agents – edging out even Gen Z (22%).
- 68% of Millennials use AI for strategic work like drafting, summarizing, and ideating.
- 43% of executives report daily AI use. Compared to 35% of senior managers and 23% of middle managers who use AI every day.
Making workers more productive
- AI is making workers more productive and enabling them to grow into more creative, strategic work.
- Compared to non-users, daily AI users are more likely to report “very good”:
– Productivity (64%)
– Focus (58%)
– Job satisfaction (81%) - The top three ways AI / AI agents have increased worker productivity are:
– 1) Eliminating need for extensive research
– 2) Assisting with writing/communication
– 3) Helping brainstorm to overcome creative blocks - 96% of AI users have used AI to perform tasks they didn’t have the skills to do themselves:
– 72% want AI agents to augment or automate brainstorming
– 80% want AI agents to assist with research for deal support
– 82% want AI agents to create presentations
- Compared to non-users, daily AI users are more likely to report “very good”:
- AI enhances – not replaces – connection among workers:
- Daily AI users are 246% more likely to feel more connected to colleagues and report a 62% higher sense of belonging at work
- 1 in 3 (34%) Gen Z say AI has made them feel more connected at work
- 50% of Gen Z workers – the digital native generation – say AI hasn’t changed how often they ask questions or collaborate with teammates
- In fact, 29% say it’s actually increased their engagement
UK spotlight
- UK workers who use AI daily are 82% more productive
- UK workers leveraging AI in their roles are 106% more satisfied with their job than colleagues not using AI
- Compared to non-users, UK daily AI users are more likely to report “very good”:
- Productivity (82%)
- Focus (86%)
- Job satisfaction (106%)
Methodology
The study included 5,156 workers in Australia, France, Germany, Japan, UK and the US and was fielded between April 9, 2025 and May 1, 2025. 828 UK desk workers were surveyed.
The survey was administered by Qualtrics and did not target Slack or Salesforce employees or customers. Respondents were all desk workers, defined as employed full-time (30 or more hours per week) and either having one of the roles listed below or saying they “work with data, analyse information or think creatively.”
Enterprise Times: What this means for business
The statistic which grabs the headline is that daily AI usage among employees rise 233%. However, this is not surprising since AI adoption is starting from a relatively small base. The more interesting and profound statistic is that UK workers who use AI daily report an 82% increase in productivity.
In addition they saw a 106% boost in job satisfaction. While workers have been slower to adopt AI than executives, adoption has surged over the past few months. The majority of desk workers are now using AI and 40% using AI agents. AI helps employees work smarter, not just faster.
Slack’s latest Index shows that trust and confidence in AI grows with use. Workers who use AI agents daily are twice as likely to trust them. With workers all-in on AI. Desk workers are using the technology to communicate more clearly, and approach every customer interaction with greater confidence.
Furthermore, employees are confirming that AI is changing how they work — and how they deliver for customers. Businesses can deliver on their AI vision and unlock the full potential of digital labour within their organisations.