Gallup Poll Reveals Rapid AI Adoption in American Workplaces
A new Gallup Workforce survey conducted in fall 2025 has unveiled a remarkable surge in the adoption of artificial intelligence among American workers over the past few years. The poll, which involved more than 22,000 U.S. workers, indicates that artificial intelligence is becoming an integral part of daily professional life across various sectors.
Key Findings from the Gallup Survey
According to the survey, approximately 12% of employed adults in the United States now use AI daily in their jobs. This marks a significant increase from 2023, when only 21% reported using AI at least occasionally. The widespread commercial boom sparked by tools like ChatGPT has accelerated this trend, enabling tasks such as writing emails, summarizing documents, and generating code.
The poll further breaks down usage patterns:
- Roughly one-quarter of workers use AI at least frequently, defined as a few times a week.
- Nearly half of respondents report using AI at least a few times a year.
- This growth highlights the transformative impact of generative AI tools in enhancing workplace efficiency and productivity.
Technology Sector Leads in AI Integration
AI adoption is particularly high among technology workers, with about 6 in 10 stating they use AI frequently, and around 3 in 10 doing so daily. Since 2023, the share of tech sector employees using AI regularly has grown significantly, though there are indications that this explosive growth may be starting to plateau after a sharp rise between 2024 and 2025.
In finance, another sector with substantial AI uptake, professionals like 28-year-old investment banker Andrea Tanzi rely on AI tools daily. Tanzi, who works for Bank of America in New York, uses AI to synthesize documents and data sets, saving several hours of manual review. He also utilizes the bank's internal AI chatbot, Erica, for administrative tasks.
AI in Education and Professional Services
Majorities of workers in professional services, colleges, universities, and K-12 education report using AI at least a few times a year. For instance, Joyce Hatzidakis, a 60-year-old high school art teacher in Riverside, California, uses AI chatbots to refine communications with parents, reducing complaints and improving efficiency.
"I can scribble out a note and not worry about what I say and then tell it what tone I want," Hatzidakis explained. "And then, when I reread it, if it's not quite right, I can have it edited again. I'm definitely getting less parent complaints."
She started with ChatGPT and later switched to Google's Gemini, as mandated by her school district, even using it to assist with recommendation letters.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Workplace AI
The AI industry and the U.S. government are actively promoting AI adoption in workplaces and schools to justify massive investments in energy-intensive computing systems. However, economists are divided on its potential to boost productivity or affect employment.
Sam Manning, a fellow at the Centre for the Governance of AI, notes that workers in computer-based jobs with high AI exposure tend to be more adaptable due to higher education levels, diverse skill sets, and greater savings. "Most of the workers that are most highly exposed to AI have these characteristics that make them pretty adaptable," Manning said.
Conversely, Manning's research identifies about 6.1 million U.S. workers who are heavily exposed to AI but less equipped to adapt. Many are in administrative and clerical roles, with 86% being women, older, and concentrated in smaller cities like university towns or state capitals. "If their skills are automated, they have less transferable skills to other jobs and they have lower savings," Manning warned. "An income shock could be much more harmful or difficult to manage."
Low Concerns About Job Replacement
Despite increasing AI use, a separate Gallup survey from 2025 found that few employees believe new technology, automation, or AI will eliminate their jobs within five years. Half said it was "not at all likely," though this has decreased from about 6 in 10 in 2023.
For example, Gene Walinski, a 70-year-old Home Depot associate in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, uses an AI assistant on his personal phone hourly to answer customer questions in the electrical department. "I think my job would suffer if I couldn't because there would be a lot of shrugged shoulders and 'I don't know' and customers don't want to hear that," Walinski said. He is "not at all worried" about AI replacing him, emphasizing the importance of human interaction.
Similarly, Rev. Michael Bingham, a pastor in Jacksonville, Florida, avoids AI for sermon writing, relying on "the power of God" instead. "You don't want a machine, you want a human being, to hold your hand if you're dying," he remarked.
Sectoral Variations in AI Usage
Reported AI usage is less common in service-based sectors such as retail, healthcare, and manufacturing. However, cases like Walinski's show that even in these areas, employees are voluntarily integrating AI to enhance their performance without formal mandates from employers.
The Gallup poll underscores that while AI adoption is growing rapidly, its impact varies across industries, with technology and finance leading the way, and human-centric roles maintaining a cautious yet open approach to its benefits.
