Microsoft just released the latest Work Trend Index report. A good read and some interesting insights across trillions of anonymized Microsoft 365 productivity signals and 20,000 surveyed workers using AI across 10 countries. Here are some observations/notes I took:
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Fundamentally, organizations need to (and is some cases already are) change how they do work. AI is enabling efficiencies at scale that requires a paradigm shift here. “The real question isn’t whether people have the right skills. It’s whether the organization is built to unlock them”
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“New agency equation: as agents take on more of the execution, humans increasingly have more agency”. Agency being defined as more empowered over outcome, ability to define and direct work.
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Interestingly, the data shows that more often than not people are ready for AI BUT organizations are not. Organization factors can be limiting here (think cultural, processes, manager support etc.)
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There is a realization that AI can’t replace judgement - which is a point I made in my When AI Goes Rogue blog post.
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58% of respondents said they were able to produce work that they couldn’t have a year ago - which is a testament to the power AI brings.
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43% of the most advanced AI users also say they do intentionally do some non-AI work to ensure their skills don’t atrophy.
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It is important that Leaders lead here to drive the change required and redesign the system to match the work.
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“Transformation Paradox: Employees are ready to reinvent how they work, but the system around them—metrics, incentives, and norms - continues to reinforce the old way. The same forces accelerating AI adoption are holding it back”
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Industry-wise, it is no surprise that software and tech shows strong breadth and depth of AI adoption, but was a little surprised that gaming had none.
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It will be important to hold humans accountable for work AI does. There is risk when the scale is big and the speed is fast.