Cognizant Report Shows Growing Demand for AI Usage in the Workplace
In its report, “New Frontiers, New Frictions: Mapping the DNA of AI Adoption,” Cognizant says the divide between employee willingness and workplace permission is a major barrier to realizing AI’s productivity benefits. The company calls that divide the “Activation Gap.”
According to the study, four out of five employees say they want to use AI more than their current job permits. Cognizant also said up to 82% of workers report that their current AI tools do not fit their needs, with dissatisfaction stretching across employee groups that use AI heavily and those that do not.
“Our research finds that people are ahead of their employers,” said Ravi Kumar S, chief executive officer of Cognizant. “Willingness is the hardest part of any technology shift, and it’s already in hand.”
Cognizant said 72% of workers fall into those two groups. Navigators are willing AI users held back by organizational barriers, while Stalwarts need a clearer business case before adopting the tools. The study found another gap in how AI training is delivered and received. Among one group identified as Architects, 81% rated training as effective and 83% completed it. Among Holdouts, those figures fell to 56% and 53%.