New study confirms AI’s impact on productivity and workforce trends

A recent study analyzing Generative AI’s effects on the labor market confirms what many have suspected—AI is not just a passing trend. It is proving to be a powerful tool for increasing productivity, streamlining workflows, and reshaping how work is done. The data highlights clear patterns in AI adoption, efficiency gains, and which groups are benefiting the most.

Here are the key findings that stood out:

AI adoption is highest among younger workers, high earners, and highly educated professionals

• Thirty percent of U.S. workers have used Generative AI at work.

• AI adoption is most prevalent among younger professionals (ages 18-34), high earners ($200,000+), and those with advanced degrees.

Takeaway: AI is being integrated across multiple high-skill and high-earning demographics, indicating that both experienced professionals and younger workers recognize its value.

AI is tripling productivity, but efficiency gains vary by income level

• AI users complete tasks three times faster, reducing work time from ninety minutes to thirty minutes.

• Most AI users spend fewer than fifteen hours per week using AI.

• Those in the lowest income bracket (under $35,000) report the largest time savings.

• Beyond that, AI-driven time savings follow a pattern where those earning over $100,000 see the most significant efficiency gains, while mid-income earners experience smaller benefits.

Takeaway: AI is consistently improving productivity, but the greatest efficiency gains are concentrated at the lowest and highest income levels.

AI is reshaping how work is done

• AI is enhancing high-skill jobs, significantly increasing efficiency for those who integrate it into their workflow.

• Simultaneously, AI is automating lower-skill, repetitive tasks, which may shift job roles over time.

Takeaway: AI is not replacing jobs outright, but it is widening the productivity gap between those who use it effectively and those who do not.

What this means for marketers

While the study does not focus exclusively on marketing, its findings carry significant implications for the industry:

• AI is being used as a productivity amplifier, not a replacement (yet). Marketers who integrate AI into their workflows will produce content, campaigns, and insights more efficiently.

• AI adoption is widespread across key professional groups, meaning both experienced marketers and newer entrants are leveraging it—those who resist adoption risk falling behind.

• AI is an enabler, not a shortcut. It enhances execution, but creative direction, brand strategy, and audience engagement remain human-driven.

The bottom line

AI is already reshaping productivity across industries, including marketing. Even the groups with the lowest reported productivity gains still saw a 50 percent improvement when using AI. People are turning to AI because it allows them to accomplish more in less time and work more effectively. Marketers who adopt AI now will stay competitive. Those who delay risk being left behind.

Read the full paper here. It was written by Jonathan Hartley (Stanford University), Filip Jolevski (Department of Economics, George Mason University; Enterprise Analysis Unit, Development Economics Vice Presidency, The World Bank), Vitor Melo (Clemson University), and Brendan Moore (Stanford University, Department of Economics).

AI disclosure: This post was AI-directed with ChatGPT based on my recent LinkedIn post. The post’s image was AI-directed with MidJourney. I, Natalie Lambert, contributed as the human element in these activities.