Will generative artificial intelligence replace jobs or enhance them? That’s the question Microsoft set out to answer in its Work Trend Index report. For this report, Edelman Data x Intelligence, commissioned by Microsoft, surveyed 31,000 full-time employed or self-employed people in 31 countries and analysed trillions of Microsoft 365 productivity signals across organizations, as well as labour trends from the LinkedIn Economic Graph. Data was gathered between February 1, 2023 and March 14, 2023. Survey results indicated that jobs will change but not necessarily be replaced.
The platform shift to AI is underway and will completely transform the way people work. And for many, the fix can't come soon enough. The pace of work has increased exponentially—along with the crush of data, information, and always-on communications. People are struggling to shoulder the weight of it all, while business leaders feel pressure to increase productivity amid economic uncertainty. We spend more and more of our days separating the signal from the noise—at the expense of creativity. And the tax on individual productivity is compounding, undermining organizational productivity and global GDP.
AI can help lift the burden. To date, AI has mostly been on autopilot. Now, next-generation copilots will work alongside people, freeing us from digital debt and fueling innovation. Organizations that embrace AI will unleash creativity and unlock productivity for everyone—ushering in a new wave of productivity growth and value creation.
“This new generation of AI will remove the drudgery of work and unleash creativity,” said Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO, Microsoft. “There's an enormous opportunity for AI-powered tools to help alleviate digital debt, build AI aptitude, and empower employees.”
To ready leaders and businesses for the age of AI, we surveyed 31,000 people in 31 countries and analyzed trillions of Microsoft 365 productivity signals, along with labor trends from the LinkedIn Economic Graph. The data points to three urgent insights business leaders must know as they look to quickly and responsibly adopt AI.