In the age of AI, workers are driving adoption
Employees are leveraging AI for their everyday work. But organizations are still catching up.
The 2025 KPMG American Worker Survey reveals a workplace defined by both momentum and uncertainty. Employees are leaning hard into the adoption of AI, often moving faster than their organizations. They are redefining value in their daily work, adapting to new RTO mandates, and pushing for training that is more relevant and accessible. Managers, meanwhile, are being asked to shoulder broader responsibilities—from employee wellness to AI execution.
These findings tell a clear story: Workers are driving progress in the age of AI. They are not waiting for permission, they are adapting, learning, and creating value. But organizations are still catching up on how they measure impact, structure career pathways, and support the managers who hold it all together. They must also prepare for brand new challenges, such as managing “agent sprawl” as AI tools become a growing part of the workforce alongside human talent.
The American worker in the age of AI
Download the 2025 KPMG American Worker Survey for the latest insights into what workers are thinking and how leaders can respond.
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This year’s survey reflects what workers are thinking in the current moment, and what’s next. Among the findings this year:
Humans are driving AI’s progress in the workplace
AI adoption is being pulled forward by the workforce: Employees are in the driver’s seat, not just along for the ride. Across industries, functions, and roles, workers are experimenting with AI on their own, weaving it into daily tasks, and discovering how it can be a force-multiplier for growing their capabilities.
AI adoption is on the rise
Nearly 9 in 10 workers now use AI at least weekly, and half use it daily, up nearly 20 points from last year. And these aren’t just edge cases. Employees are leveraging AI for the everyday work that keeps organizations running: data analysis, administrative tasks, research, technical troubleshooting, customer service, idea generation, and more. Confidence is also high: 76 percent say they feel prepared to use AI in their roles, and 84 percent want more training to build skills.
Workers are gaining value from AI, but employee-level KPIs are lagging
While AI use is surging, definitive enterprise-wide measures of impact are still taking shape. AI is helping them boost productivity, but while many companies have started to quantify AI’s topline impact on costs and ROI, they have yet to capture some of the more qualitative measures in ways that matter to both employees and the organization.
Return-to-office is increasing
While AI dominates the conversation about how work is done, where employees do that work remains a defining issue. Half of employees are now fully back in the office, and preferences for in-person work are climbing: 4 in 10 say they would rather be fully in-office—double last year’s rate.
Gen Z, men, value working in the office rather than at home
Gen Z respondents are almost twice as likely as Boomers or Gen X to say they are more productive in the office (72 percent vs. 39 percent), with mentoring, skills development, and culture as key reasons. Half of men prefer being fully in-office, compared with just 31 percent of women. That gap underscores how work models intersect with broader equity concerns, including caregiving responsibilities.
Upskilling trails adoption, leaving early-career workers most at risk
Organizations are investing in AI training, but it isn’t enough—and it isn’t always effective. While 85 percent of companies provide some form of training, 84 percent of respondents want more. Commitment is another issue: Less than half of organizations make AI training mandatory, sending a mixed signal about its importance.
Gen Z at risk of moving up
Six in 10 Gen Z workers believe AI could replace their role within two years, compared with 3 in 10 older employees. Without better training and accelerated development pathways, younger workers risk having fewer on-ramps to pursue higher-level roles.
Manager roles are expanding as the pressure to deliver grows
Eight in 10 managers say they are directly responsible for employee well-being, up from 63 percent last year. Two-thirds report mediating workplace conflicts—a sharp increase from 44 percent a year ago. Managers also drive career development: coaching young employees, helping teams apply new AI tools, and translating strategy into daily practice.
Their role in the office is also becoming more important. As RTO patterns rise, managers are the linchpin for ensuring in-person time delivers on its promise, especially for early-career workers seeking mentorship and growth.
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