News/Surveys
The AI learning gap threatens UK workplace progress
UK workers are experiencing a profound dichotomy in their relationship with artificial intelligence in the workplace - simultaneously seeing its transformative potential while feeling overwhelmed by its rapid advancement. A new Henley Business School study spanning nearly 30 employment sectors reveals this tension between optimism and anxiety, highlighting a critical gap in workplace AI readiness that could determine whether organizations successfully harness this technology or fall behind in its implementation. The big picture: A majority of UK professionals express optimism about AI's potential benefits, yet most feel overwhelmed by the technology's rapid evolution and lack workplace support to adapt. 56%...
read May 17, 2025Google AI boosts subscription service to 150 million users
Google's AI subscription service has seen dramatic growth, further diversifying Alphabet's revenue streams beyond advertising as consumer interest in premium AI features accelerates. The rapid adoption of Google One amid intensifying AI competition reflects changing consumer willingness to pay for enhanced AI capabilities while offering Alphabet an alternative monetization pathway in a landscape where traditional search-based advertising faces disruption. The big picture: Google One subscription service has surpassed 150 million subscribers, representing 50% growth since reaching 100 million subscribers in February 2024. Key details: The company introduced a $19.99 monthly AI plan in February 2024, which has already attracted "millions"...
read May 17, 2025AI impact on jobs depends on worker skills, study finds
Research from Georgia State University reveals that AI automation has a nuanced impact on the job market, challenging the simplistic narratives of either widespread job destruction or universal productivity gains. By analyzing millions of patents filed over a 16-year period, researchers have identified that certain AI specializations actually create jobs while others eliminate them, with the outcomes heavily dependent on the specific tasks being automated and the skills required in different sectors. The big picture: AI's impact on employment varies significantly based on the specific human capabilities it's designed to replicate, with some forms driving job growth while others displace...
read May 15, 2025CEOs report disappointment with their CIOs’ AI capabilities
CEOs are increasingly skeptical about their technology leaders' AI expertise, creating tension between executive expectations and implementation realities. A recent Gartner survey reveals a significant confidence gap at precisely the moment when enterprises are betting big on artificial intelligence to drive transformation. This disconnect threatens not only CIO job security but also organizations' ability to effectively execute their AI strategies in an increasingly competitive landscape. The big picture: A majority of CEOs lack faith in their technology leaders' AI capabilities, with only 44% believing their CIOs have sufficient expertise to meet organizational AI needs through 2026, according to Gartner's late...
read May 15, 2025VentureBeat seeks AI experts in survey exploring agentic future of technology
VentureBeat is calling on AI professionals to participate in its annual survey, designed to benchmark enterprise AI adoption with a special focus on emerging generative and agentic AI technologies. This initiative comes at a critical juncture in AI development, as autonomous agent frameworks gain traction and organizations seek to measure their AI maturity against industry peers. The ten-minute assessment aims to gather insights from decision-makers across multiple sectors to create an authoritative view of current implementation trends. The big picture: VentureBeat has launched its annual AI survey focusing on generative and agentic AI adoption in enterprise settings, coinciding with their...
read May 14, 2025AI tackles accumulated technical debt to boost business efficiency
Technical debt has accumulated to staggering levels in modern enterprises, with global figures exceeding $1.5 trillion according to industry estimates. A new report from technology research firm HFS and Publicis Sapient suggests artificial intelligence may finally offer organizations the capabilities needed to break through this costly burden, acting as a "jackhammer" against decades of accumulated system inefficiencies. The findings come at a critical juncture as companies struggle to modernize while simultaneously adopting transformative AI technologies. The big picture: AI appears poised to help organizations tackle technical debt rather than add to it, with 80% of executives believing AI will significantly...
read May 14, 2025AI tools gain acceptance for editing, but face resistance in content creation
A new Nature survey reveals deep divisions among researchers about appropriate AI use in scientific writing, highlighting a growing tension between technological adoption and academic integrity. The findings come at a pivotal moment as artificial intelligence increasingly permeates academic processes, forcing the scientific community to grapple with ethical boundaries around authorship, accountability, and the fundamental nature of scholarly communication. The big picture: Nature surveyed over 5,000 researchers globally to gauge attitudes toward AI in scientific writing, revealing widespread acceptance of AI for editing but significant resistance to deeper involvement in content creation. The comprehensive survey included 5,229 researchers across various...
read May 14, 2025Why time may be ChatGPT’s most valuable return on investment
Reddit users are sharing diverse ways they've leveraged ChatGPT to generate value, from direct financial gains through enhanced work efficiency to the less tangible but equally valuable benefit of reclaiming personal time. A popular thread with over 170 comments reveals how AI integration is transforming professional productivity, particularly in technical fields, while highlighting that human oversight remains essential as these tools still produce occasional inaccuracies despite their impressive capabilities. The big picture: ChatGPT's widespread adoption appears to be delivering tangible benefits across multiple dimensions of value, with time savings and efficiency gains emerging as primary advantages. Key details: The most...
read May 14, 2025Agentic AI goes mainstream as tech giants shift from chatbots to enterprise strategy
Tech companies are rapidly deploying agentic AI systems, with nearly half of industry leaders already implementing this technology, according to a new Ernst & Young survey. Unlike the initial wave of generative AI adoption that was driven largely by novelty, this shift represents a more strategic approach as companies seek tangible business benefits and competitive advantages. The movement toward autonomous AI systems signals a significant evolution in how organizations are integrating artificial intelligence into their core operations. The big picture: Nearly half (48%) of tech executives surveyed have begun deploying agentic AI, with 50% expecting most of their internal AI...
read May 13, 2025Software with AI or pure AI? Debate on product vs feature impacts CIO strategies
The AI product versus feature debate presents CIOs with major strategic implications as the market matures. With artificial intelligence rapidly spreading across the technology landscape, IT leaders face crucial decisions about whether to invest in standalone AI solutions or products with embedded AI capabilities—choices that will significantly impact their organization's competitive positioning and technology stack for years to come. The big picture: The AI market is developing along two distinct paths—specialized AI products competing with traditional software platforms that are rapidly integrating AI capabilities. On one side are pure-play AI companies offering specialized solutions and foundation model providers like OpenAI,...
read May 13, 2025Giving what it takes: AI boosts productivity but dampens motivation, study finds
Generative AI's motivational paradox reveals a hidden psychological cost to workplace AI adoption. Recent research from Harvard suggests that while AI tools improve immediate task performance, they can diminish workers' intrinsic motivation when tackling tasks without technological assistance. This finding has significant implications for organizations implementing gen AI, highlighting the need for thoughtful deployment strategies that preserve employee engagement across all responsibilities. The big picture: Gen AI collaboration produces superior quality work more efficiently, but creates a motivational deficit when workers must perform tasks without AI assistance. Workers experience higher levels of boredom and diminished intrinsic motivation when shifting between...
read May 13, 2025Amazon Web Services Generative AI adoption Index: 10 key insights revealed
The AWS Generative AI Adoption Index provides the first comprehensive data-driven insight into how businesses are implementing AI technologies, moving beyond speculation to concrete metrics. Based on responses from over 3,700 IT decision-makers across nine countries, this landmark study offers executives empirical evidence for strategic AI planning. The findings reveal a fundamental shift in business priorities, with organizations now ranking AI investment above traditional concerns like security, signaling a new phase in enterprise technology adoption. 1. Budget priorities shifting dramatically toward AI Organizations are redirecting significant resources to artificial intelligence, with 45% of surveyed IT decision-makers ranking generative AI tools...
read May 13, 2025Federal HR systems cost taxpayers billions, Workday survey reveals
Federal HR systems are squandering billions in taxpayer dollars through inefficient, outdated technology according to a new report from MeriTalk and Workday. The study reveals that 89% of federal HR leaders believe legacy tools hinder their agency's mission, with HR teams wasting nearly half their time correcting errors, reconciling data, and navigating manual processes. This technological stagnation is occurring precisely when government needs greater agility, with potential savings of up to $1 billion annually if just half of this wasted time could be recovered. The big picture: Federal HR operations are struggling with outdated systems that actively undermine workforce strategy...
read May 12, 2025IT leaders face 5 key priorities from CEOs in 2024
The evolving relationship between CEOs and CIOs reflects a fundamental shift in how technology leadership drives business strategy in 2025. As AI moves from buzzword to business imperative, chief executives are tasking their technology leaders with implementing practical AI solutions that deliver measurable value while simultaneously addressing core business challenges including customer experience, digital transformation, and security. This strategic realignment demonstrates how technology has become central to addressing both the perennial business objectives and emerging economic uncertainties facing today's enterprises. The big picture: CIO.com's 2025 State of the CIO Survey reveals that researching and implementing AI products and projects has...
read May 12, 2025AI in customer service is quickly becoming mandatory
Customer service is rapidly transforming with AI-powered chatbots becoming the default for handling product inquiries, complaints, and refunds. With 85% of customer service leaders actively exploring customer-facing AI solutions, businesses that haven't implemented these technologies will soon find themselves playing catch-up. This shift represents a fundamental change in how companies manage customer interactions that directly impact satisfaction, brand perception, and ultimately sales revenue. The big picture: AI chatbots are transforming customer service interactions across industries, with widespread adoption already underway. According to recent survey data, an overwhelming 85% of customer service leaders are currently exploring AI solutions for customer-facing applications....
read May 12, 2025Spreadsheets are being stripped from business processes by AI-powered tools
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming business operations, threatening to displace spreadsheets as the fundamental tool for reporting and analysis. New research from Salesforce shows overwhelming momentum toward AI adoption in service organizations, with 83% of decision-makers planning to increase AI investments next year. This shift represents a significant inflection point for business intelligence tools, suggesting that AI's ability to automate, analyze, and deliver insights will soon make traditional spreadsheet-based workflows obsolete. The big picture: AI adoption is accelerating dramatically across service organizations, with spreadsheets predicted to be replaced as the dominant business reporting method by 2027 or sooner. Research shows...
read May 12, 2025IBM survey reveals the gap between AI investment and business results
IBM's survey of 2,000 CEOs reveals a significant reality gap in AI investment outcomes, with just 25% of initiatives delivering expected returns. Despite this shortfall, enterprises are doubling down on AI investments over the next two years, particularly in AI agents that can automate entire tasks across multiple systems. This dichotomy between underwhelming results and accelerating investment highlights both the fear of missing out driving corporate AI strategies and the complex implementation challenges enterprises face. The big picture: Only a quarter of AI initiatives have delivered the expected return on investment according to IBM's survey, revealing a stark contrast between...
read May 10, 2025The problem with letting AI do the grading
As AI increasingly displaces human tasks in education, new research reveals the technology falls dramatically short when it comes to accurately grading student work. A University of Georgia study found that even advanced AI models like Mixtral correctly assess student answers only a third of the time when creating their own rubrics, highlighting the irreplaceable value of human teachers in educational assessment despite growing pressure to automate classroom functions. The big picture: Teachers are increasingly using AI to grade student assignments as a response to widespread AI use among students, but research suggests this approach fundamentally undermines education quality. Nearly...
read May 9, 2025Will AI era leadership roles go the way of “Chief eCommerce Officer”?
The traditional C-suite is evolving as AI and data management become core business functions rather than specialized domains. Chief AI Officers (CAIOs) and Chief Data Officers (CDOs) may follow the path of once-prominent Chief eCommerce Officers, who disappeared once online sales became integrated throughout organizations rather than existing as separate functions. This shift suggests a future where AI literacy becomes a fundamental skill for all executives rather than the domain of dedicated leadership positions. The big picture: The specialized C-suite roles created during technological transitions often disappear as those technologies become mainstream and integrated throughout organizations. More than 29% of...
read May 9, 2025South African CIOs transform AI hype into measurable business results
South African CIOs are adopting a more pragmatic approach to AI investments, focusing on targeted high-impact deployments rather than broad implementation. Financial services group Sanlam and manufacturers like Lactalis Southern Africa exemplify this strategic shift, allocating AI budgets toward solutions that deliver measurable business outcomes. This evolution marks a departure from earlier experimentation phases as organizations now demand tangible returns on their AI investments while leveraging the technology to enhance customer experiences and operational efficiency. The big picture: Enterprise AI investment is accelerating, with Foundry's AI Priorities Study 2025 showing nearly half of organizations now allocating dedicated AI budgets, up...
read May 7, 2025AI-powered agentic analytics restores business leaders’ data trust
Business leaders are facing a growing paradox in data-driven decision-making: as data volumes increase, confidence in using that data is plummeting. This disconnect threatens effective leadership in uncertain times, but a new approach called "agentic analytics" promises to bridge this gap by pairing business users with AI agents that can automate data tasks, proactively identify patterns, and deliver insights in accessible language within existing workflows. The big picture: Business decision-makers are drowning in data while simultaneously losing faith in their ability to use it effectively, with leader confidence in data-driven decisions dropping 18% since 2023 to less than half overall....
read May 7, 2025Leaders at a loss: Fragmented data frustrates executives’ use of AI
AI's promise of productivity faces a harsh reality check as CEOs discover their data systems are simply not ready to support advanced AI initiatives. The IBM study of 2,000 CEOs across 30 countries reveals a critical disconnect between AI ambitions and the foundational data architecture needed to realize meaningful returns, highlighting the growing urgency for companies to address their fragmented information systems before expecting AI to deliver on its potential. The big picture: While 61% of CEOs are actively deploying AI agents and planning their expansion, half admit their rush to adopt new technologies has created disconnected systems that undermine...
read May 7, 2025Most Americans aren’t that into AI. But they do like it for photo editing.
Despite tech companies' enthusiastic push to integrate AI assistants into products, new research reveals a significant gap between corporate ambition and actual consumer demand. A March 2025 ZDNET-Aberdeen survey shows a striking 71% of Americans are unwilling to pay extra for AI capabilities in their products, with resistance particularly strong among older demographics. This reluctance raises important questions about whether the tech industry's AI-centric strategy actually aligns with what users currently value and need. The big picture: Americans across all age groups show surprising resistance to AI assistant features, with only 8% willing to pay extra for such capabilities in...
read May 5, 2025AI transforms sales as Rippling CEO and 20VC + SaaStr return
SaaStr's latest roundup showcases the intersection of AI innovation and B2B software trends through its most popular content of the week. The compilation highlights how artificial intelligence is transforming sales processes, enterprise customer experiences, and venture capital dynamics, while also featuring insights from prominent SaaS leaders like Rippling's CEO Parker Conrad and Gainsight's Nick Mehta. This curated collection serves as a barometer for the current priorities and future direction of the SaaS industry. The big picture: AI's impact on sales processes dominates SaaStr's top content this week, reflecting the industry's focus on practical AI applications in B2B environments. The most...
read