A National Bureau of Economic Research study surveying nearly 6,000 executives across the US, UK, Germany, and Australia found that despite widespread AI adoption, more than 90% of firms reported no measurable impact on employment and 89% saw no effect on labor productivity over the past three years. While 69% of organizations are actively using AI, with executives averaging only 1.5 hours of weekly use, the research reveals a significant gap between AI investment and tangible business results. Executives remain optimistic about future benefits, forecasting modest productivity growth over the next three years, though those projections have yet to materialize at scale.
