As artificial intelligence becomes a standard part of modern work, a new survey from Sonara, the AI-powered job search automation platform, finds that U.S. workers are increasingly using AI tools to improve their job performance and stay competitive.
Based on responses from more than 3,000 US workers, Sonara’s AI in the Workplace Report found 77% of workers say AI helps them do their job better, signaling that AI is no longer experimental and is becoming an expected part of work.
Key findings:
- AI use is widespread at work: 70% of workers say their employer allows AI use, and more than one-third say it is actively encouraged.
- AI is most often used to support core skills: The most common uses include writing or editing (69%), brainstorming ideas (53%), and data analysis or reporting (29%).
- AI is influencing hiring and advancement: More than half of workers (55%) believe AI tools were used to evaluate them during a recent job or promotion.
- Skills anxiety is driving adoption: Only 29% believe their skills are fully aligned with the future of work.
AI Use at Work Is Now the Norm: Most workers say their employers allow and encourage AI use on the job.
- 70% of workers say their employer allows the use of AI tools at work, with 37% saying AI use is actively encouraged by their employer.
- Among the 30% whose employers do not allow AI, 5% say they use AI anyway without their employer’s knowledge.
AI Adoption Grows: AI use is steadily expanding across the workforce, with a majority of workers now using AI tools and many more signaling interest in adoption.
- 52% of workers use AI tools at work.
- 26% use AI daily or weekly.
- 26% use AI occasionally.
- 27% have not used AI yet but are interested in trying it.
- 21% say they do not plan to use AI tools.
Workers Say AI Improves Job Performance: Among workers who use AI, the overwhelming majority say it enhances their ability to perform their jobs effectively.
- 77% say AI helps them do their job better.
- 18% say AI has no impact on performance.
- 5% say AI makes their work harder.
How Workers Use AI: Workers are primarily turning to AI to support productivity, everyday tasks, and core job skills rather than to fully automate their roles. The most common uses of AI on the job include:
- Writing or editing: 69%
- Brainstorming ideas: 53%
- Data analysis or reporting: 29%
- Design or image generation: 21%
- Note taking: 19%
AI’s Influence In Hiring and Promotions: AI is increasingly shaping how workers are evaluated and how careers advance, even as many feel unprepared for where the job market is headed.
- 55% of workers said AI tools were used to evaluate them during a recent job or promotion, yet the survey also found that 60% of workers are not comfortable with AI playing a role in hiring or promotion decisions.
- Only 30% believe their skills are fully aligned with where the job market is headed.
- 56% say their skills are only somewhat aligned.
- 14% say they are not aligned at all.
“In 2026, the question isn’t if AI is being used but how,” said Keith Spencer, Career Expert at Sonara. “For companies, this means using AI responsibly and transparently in the hiring process. For workers and job seekers, it means communicating and leveraging AI responsibly in job applications and at work,” Spencer added.
