Artificial intelligence is more than a buzz word: employees’ usage of AI is directly linked to healthy work experience, according to a global study from HP. In the 2025 Work Relationship Index (WRI) survey, 42% said that they used AI tools on a daily basis.
The report also provides evidence that businesses that have invested in AI tools are reaping rewards in terms of employee optimism, productivity and retention. Employees are using these tools for research, content creation, to speed up data analysis and automate repetitive tasks – and finding them increasingly beneficial. In fact, the research shows the more frequently a worker uses AI, the higher their WRI score.
This is particularly apparent with specific groups. For instance, nearly half the IT decision- makers surveyed said they used AI tools daily, and 57% believed that it made them more efficient, contributing to a heightened sense of optimism about their working life.
Yet other employees are feeling left behind. Only 30% of knowledge workers share their IT leaders’ attitudes around AI, partly because only a quarter are using AI daily. This affects their relationship with work. While 32% of IT decision-makers and 34% of business leaders describe this relationship as very happy, only 20% of knowledge workers say the same. Technology is just one of several factors, but it’s one with considerable influence.
HP’s survey isn’t alone in highlighting this issue. A survey from PwC shows that, despite widespread awareness of AI’s potential, only 19% of office workers are using generative AI tools every day.
This should be a wake-up call to enterprises to close the AI gap. The report makes it clear that work-specific AI tools are a force multiplier for employee fulfilment. Those with access to technology that fits their working style are significantly more likely to report a healthy relationship with work. By democratising AI, enterprises can improve productivity across the workforce and reduce the pressure on their knowledge workers.
Widening access and embedding AI tools into workflows is the obvious first step, but knowledge workers also need support. Only 39% said their company was delivering proper training on how to use AI, while 49% said they felt that their company didn’t have a clear strategy around AI. By providing both training and clarity about how the business is leveraging AI, IT and business leaders can ensure that knowledge workers get to experience the benefits.
This is also an opportunity for businesses to make the most of their youngest recruits. HP’s research shows that 38% of Gen Z workers feel they’re either proficient or expert in AI, compared to 32% of millennial employees and 18% of Gen X staffers. Both sides can benefit from a knowledge exchange, with Gen Z workers accelerating AI adoption, while their older colleagues provide mentorship, experience and business expertise.
By democratising access and fostering an AI-ready culture, businesses give more of their workers capabilities that can help them drive company performance and, ultimately, feel more fulfilled. And by making this part of an overall reimagination of work, measuring and optimising the employee experience, enterprises can build on AI’s transformative impact, and put employee-work relationships back on track.
Click here to find out how HP can help your business leverage AI to boost employee experience.