AI Being Embraced at Twice the Speed of Web and PCs

New research shows AI being adopted by the public much faster than other tech.

As Seeking Alpha reported Sunday (Dec. 8), researchers from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, Vanderbilt University and Harvard Kennedy School found that generative artificial intelligence (genAI) has a 39.5% adoption rate over the last two years, more than the 20% adoption rate for the internet and personal computers.

The research found that in August of this year, 39.4% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 64 had used generative AI, while 32% of that group had used it at least once in the week they were surveyed.

Among employed respondents, 28% used AI at work, with 24.2% doing so weekly and 10.6% using it daily. The research found that OpenAI’s ChatGPT is the most common genAI program.

While close to a third of respondents reported using generative AI outside of work, just 6.4% did so on a daily basis, the researchers found. Men were 9% more likely to use the technology at work and 7% more likely to use GenAI at home.

The researchers found genAI often used in management, business, and computer-related roles, at more than 40%, though 20% of “blue collar” workers and the same percentage of  workers without a college degree regularly use genAI for their jobs.

The findings are in keeping with recent PYMNTS Intelligence research on the prevalence of AI in the workplace.

For example, the recent report “Rerouting the Telecom Industry: Generative AI’s Impact on Communication Services,” done in collaboration with AI-ID, found that while initially focused on efficiency, the technology is poised to transform operations, customer service and market positioning in the telecom sector.

“Generative AI is already reshaping telecom operations, driving new levels of network performance and customer interaction personalization,” PYMNTS wrote last week. “Telecom providers are integrating AI to enhance service offerings and streamline complex operations.”

For example, a telecom operator in the Asia-Pacific region began using AI-driven customer value management systems, and eventually saw a 10% reduction in customer churn and a 20% increase in cross-selling.

“Given these promising results, AI adoption is spreading, with 87% of telecom executives seeing high potential for AI to positively impact both customer experience and relationship management,” the report continued.

Additional research shows that genAI has become a key tool for chief financial officers (CFOs), with 78% saying they plan to increase their usage of the technology.