GoTo, a renowned leader in cloud communications and IT solutions, has released a comprehensive research report titled The Pulse of Work in 2025: Trends, Truths, and the Practicality of AI. This report is based on a survey of 2,500 global employees and IT leaders, conducted in collaboration with the research firm Workplace Intelligence.
Discrepancy Between Expectations and Reality
One of the most striking findings from the report is that, despite high expectations surrounding AI’s impact on productivity, many employees feel they have been misled about its capabilities. A significant 62% of respondents expressed that AI has been significantly overhyped.
Interestingly, while employees acknowledge the potential benefits of AI, a troubling 86% of them admit they are not leveraging AI tools to their full potential. Additionally, 82% of surveyed individuals indicated they lack familiarity with practical applications of AI in their daily tasks.
The Cost of Underutilization
Employees estimate they are spending an average of 2.6 hours per day—equating to 13 hours per week—on tasks that could be automated by AI. This inefficiency translates to an alarming missed opportunity for businesses, which could potentially lose over $2.9 trillion annually in greater productivity.
Rich Veldran, CEO of GoTo, comments, “Employees are already using AI and are seeing clear productivity gains, yet despite these benefits, our latest research shows that people still view AI as overhyped. While many recognize its value, they don’t yet see it as the revolutionary change they were promised.” He continues, “The solution is clear: companies must go beyond just providing access to AI and ensure employees have both the right tools and the right education.”
Key Findings of the Research
Here are some additional critical insights from the research that shed light on the current state of AI adoption in workplaces:
- AI Misuse: Contrary to expectations, 54% of employees have used AI for sensitive tasks or high-stakes decision-making, such as those requiring emotional intelligence (29%), safety impacts (25%), and ethical personnel actions (16%). Alarmingly, 77% of these individuals reported they do not regret using AI for such tasks.
- Lack of Trust: A staggering 86% of employees lack confidence in the accuracy and reliability of AI tools. Furthermore, 76% noted that the outputs generated by these tools often require further refinement or revision.
- Small Business Challenges: Smaller companies are at a disadvantage, with only 59% of workers in firms with 50 or fewer employees using AI. In contrast, nearly 80% of employees in larger organizations are leveraging AI technologies.
Generational Gaps in AI Proficiency
Interestingly, the research indicates that the challenge of effectively using AI tools is not confined to older generations. Dan Schawbel, Managing Partner at Workplace Intelligence, states, “Younger workers also admit they aren’t utilizing these tools to their full potential. In fact, 74% of Gen Z employees say they lack familiarity with practical applications of AI in their daily work.” This situation underscores the importance of equipping all employees, regardless of age, with the necessary tools and education to use AI safely and effectively.
Proposed Solutions for Bridging the AI Adoption Gap
The report also outlines several solutions to address the current gap in AI adoption:
- Provide Desired Tools: Employees indicated a preference for specific AI tools, including an AI virtual assistant (88%), automation tools for work tasks (86%), communication tools (83%), generative AI tools (81%), and AI chat/messaging assistants for customer interaction (73%). However, only about 40% of employees report that their companies offer these tools.
- Enhance Training and Policies: Only 45% of IT leaders affirm that their company has an AI policy in place. Both employees (81%) and IT leaders (71%) agree that better instructions and guidelines are needed for proper AI usage.
- Focused Implementation: Among companies adopting AI, 21% of IT leaders acknowledged that their organizations are investing in AI tools without a clear plan. Additionally, nearly 49% of IT leaders admit their companies are not effectively measuring the ROI of AI tools.
- Small Investments Yield Big Returns: According to 77% of IT leaders, a minor investment of just $20/month per employee on AI tools could save each employee an additional hour a day in productivity.
- Understand Employee Perspectives: The survey highlights discrepancies between IT leaders and employees regarding AI practicality, reliability, and overall usability. Addressing these gaps will position organizations to maximize the benefits of AI.
Methodology
The research findings are based on a survey conducted by GoTo and Workplace Intelligence from February through April of 2025. A total of 2,500 global workers participated in the survey, including 1,250 full-time knowledge workers and 1,250 IT decision-makers. The survey targeted respondents from various countries, including the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, India, Mexico, and Brazil.
About GoTo
GoTo is a leading provider of cloud communications and IT services, dedicated to empowering businesses with seamless, AI-enabled solutions. Their product lineup, including GoTo Connect and LogMeIn Rescue, caters to small and midsize businesses while being scalable for large enterprises. With a commitment to enhancing human experiences in AI-enabled workforces, GoTo serves hundreds of thousands of customers worldwide from its headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts.
About Workplace Intelligence
Workplace Intelligence is a prestigious research agency dedicated to providing insightful thought leadership in the domain of work. By leveraging primary data and insights, they help organizations narrate their workplace stories in impactful ways. For more details, visit their website.
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About the Author
Mechelle Gindra
Mechelle Gindra is the managing editor and lead content strategist at Telecoms-Channel, South Africa's dedicated intelligence platform for telecoms resellers, ICT distributors, and channel partners. She oversees the editorial team's AI-assisted content production pipeline, ensuring vendor news, market analysis, and regulatory updates are accurate, timely, and actionable for the SA telecoms channel community. With deep expertise in the South African telecoms reseller ecosystem, Mechelle directs coverage of vendor partner programmes, ICASA regulatory developments, wholesale market dynamics, and channel business strategy. She is responsible for maintaining Telecoms-Channel's editorial standards, fact-checking processes, and corrections policy.