Picture this: The most AI-forward companies have leadership teams where 72% use AI daily, while their individual contributors lag at just 21%. A new Betterworks study of over 2,100 workers reveals what separates high-performing companies from everyone else, and it’s not just about having the latest technology. It’s about deliberately scaling AI benefits beyond leadership teams to create a competitive advantage for the whole company.
TL;DR
- 72% of executives use AI daily vs only 21% of individual contributors
- 87% of daily AI users report productivity improvements
- Most barriers are fixable: 33% need training, and 27% don’t know how AI helps their role
- Companies may be sitting on huge AI scaling opportunities
What Top-Performing Organizations Look Like
The study shows a clear pattern among companies that are winning with AI: their leadership teams figured it out first. In these companies, 72% of executives have integrated AI into their daily workflows, compared to much lower adoption rates at others.
Even in these AI-forward companies, only 21% of individual contributors are using AI daily. That means even the best companies are leaving productivity improvements on the table. So, if your company isn’t at that 72% leadership benchmark yet, you’re looking at two opportunities: getting your leadership team up to speed AND scaling the benefits of AI across your entire workforce.
Managers in leading companies fall somewhere in the middle at 42% daily usage, showing what appears to be AI adoption flowing down from the top when it’s working well.
The Productivity Multiplier Effect
In companies where AI adoption is working, the results are clear. Among daily and weekly AI users, 87% say AI has improved their work across speed, quality, creativity, and accuracy. These are the kind of improvements that can separate market leaders from everyone else.
But here’s the thing most companies miss: these benefits are currently concentrated among leadership and early adopters while the majority of the workforce haven’t had the chance to experience them yet. The companies that figure out how to spread these productivity gains to everyone are the ones with a chance to pull ahead of their competition.
Your Workforce Isn't Resistant, They're Stuck
When researchers asked non-users why they’re not adopting AI, the answers revealed something important: this isn’t about resistance to change. Only 23% express mistrust in the technology itself.
The real barriers are much more practical:
- 24% say they lack training on AI tools
- 27% don’t understand how AI applies to their specific role
- 24% think AI won’t help them
- 17% say company policy prevents use
As we frequently say at Twenty44, AI is not a technology problem first, it’s a change management one, and getting the communication and training challenge sorted out is. huge step forward. People want to be more productive; they just need guidance on how AI really fits into their actual work, what they are allowed (and not allowed) to do, and understand that AI is here to help you augment your existing skillsets, not replace them.
The AI Implementation Gap Most Companies Face
As you’ve read above, most companies fall into one of three categories:
Early stage: Leadership hasn’t reached the 72% benchmark yet, and individual contributors are barely using AI at all.
Middle stage: Leadership is using AI but hasn’t created structured approaches to scale it across the organization.
Advanced stage: Leadership adoption is strong and they’re actively working to democratize AI benefits company-wide.
The study reveals something crucial: 90% of people with appropriate AI tools view the technology positively, while 83% without proper tools view it negatively. Success isn’t about the technology being good or bad, it’s entirely about an AI implementation strategy.
An Action Plan: Bridge the Gap Systematically
Whether you’re trying to get your leadership team to the 72% benchmark or scale existing success across your organization, the approach is similar:
Start with role-specific training: Stop doing generic “AI 101” sessions. Show your sales team how AI helps with proposal writing and lead research. Show your marketing team how it speeds up campaign creation and content planning. Show your customer service team how AI helps with difficult conversations. Show your analysts how it speeds up data interpretation. Make it relevant to actual daily work.
Address policy confusion: That 17% avoiding AI due to company policy needs clear guidelines on what’s allowed, what tools they can use, and why these guardrails exist.
Get tool selection right: Remember, 90% love AI when they have proper tools, 83% hate it when they don’t. This isn’t just an IT decision alone, it’s a business strategy choice.
Learn from your early adopters: Whether it’s leadership or that 21% of individual contributors already succeeding, document what’s working and turn successful users into peer mentors.
Be honest about fit: That 24% who think AI won’t help their role might be right. Review your workflows honestly. Focus AI where it genuinely adds value rather than forcing adoption everywhere.
The companies reaching that 72% leadership benchmark aren’t using some kind of black magic, they’re being strategic about adoption, training, and scaling AI. The question is whether you want to join them or watch from the sidelines while they pull further ahead.
Stop Guessing: Know Where Your Company Really Stands wth AI
Understanding where your company actually stands requires an honest assessment, not guesses and assumptions. Twenty44’s AI/44 Assessment helps you map your current AI readiness across all levels, identify the specific barriers holding back adoption, assess existing skills and gaps, and uncover opportunities your teams are already using in their workflows. Because the best strategies start with knowing where you really are, not where you wish you were.
References:
Betterworks (2025). AI and the Employee Experience: Balancing Opportunity and Anxiety. 2025 Global HR Research Report.
Randy Matheson
Randy Matheson is an innovation strategist with a 25+ year proven track record of turning ideas into digital products. He specializes in working with Generative AI for content creation and using cutting-edge AI tools to create and interact with virtual audiences. He operates out Hamilton, Ontario where he resides with his partner and two large dogs.