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Key Takeaways
- AI in the workplace is set to transition from repetitive tasks to strategic decision-making, with a focus on AI training and seeing AI as a teammate.
- Executives are using AI for strategic work, but there’s a gap with employee utilization that can be bridged with proper education and role enhancement.
- AI skills are becoming crucial across roles, leading to an emphasis on both hiring specialized talent and upskilling current employees.
Many of the conversations we’re hearing around AI are still very future-focused. There’s a lot of hype around AI — and rightfully so — but so far, much of its real-world impact has only scratched the surface of what it’s truly capable of. This is especially true in the workplace.
Companies have spent the last few years rapidly implementing AI tools into the workplace with the intention of automating repetitive tasks, managing workflows and turning data into insights that employees can actually use. But executives’ high expectations for AI are often misaligned with how employees are actually using the technology: More than half of employees say they primarily use AI tools to double-check their work (54%) and draft emails, reports or other written content (52%).
While these use cases are driving efficiencies in the workplace, they showcase only a portion of AI’s potential. AI can play a leading role in day-to-day execution and strategy, too.
Many managers and executives are hoping to close the gap between how AI is currently being used and what it can do by leading by example. Compared to employees, managers are using AI for more strategic work, including analyzing team and business data (56%), conducting research (52%) and managing team priorities (47%).
One area where AI is playing a particularly impactful role is in go-to-market strategies: 68% of managers say they have saved a week or more in their go-to-market process with the technology.
At Infragistics, we’re leveraging AI to identify product-market fit for new and existing products, create and refine messaging for each of our target audiences and track and measure performance in real-time. Through our data-driven work management platform Slingshot, we’re also powering other companies to accelerate and improve their go-to-market processes.
The potential for AI to move beyond assisting and begin leading smarter business decisions is already here, but it’s up to companies to unlock its full capabilities for employees. This includes training, education and thoughtful hiring — which many companies will focus on in 2026.
As AI evolves from an assistant this year, here are three ways it will reshape the workplace:
1. AI training will become as essential as any other workplace training
AI has the power to improve productivity and efficiency — and ultimately drive the bottom line — but its impact is limited if employees don’t know how to use it effectively.
Many companies have already implemented AI employee education, but it will become more of a priority in 2026. They’ll put a focus on AI training and education before they expand their tech stacks any further, to ensure employees unlock its full potential in the workplace. This means making AI education part of every employee’s onboarding checklist and requiring training, just as they do with security or compliance. This will not only help employers fully realize their AI vision, but employees will feel more empowered to focus on more strategic work rather than spend their time on repetitive, low-value tasks.
2. Employees will see AI as a teammate, not just a tool
As employees become more confident with AI, they’ll start to see it no longer as just another tool — but it will start to function as a teammate.
By taking on repetitive tasks, drafting written content and creating images, supporting research and providing quick, actionable insights (just to name a few), AI will free employees to focus on higher-level work and enable them to make smarter business decisions.
Employees’ early fears that AI would replace their jobs will fade as companies continue to be transparent about AI’s use in the workplace and as employees see firsthand how it enhances their roles — rather than replaces.
As employees’ trust and comfort level with AI grows, their adoption will grow as well, and they’ll start turning to it as a partner. This will not only change how their work gets done, but also create more fulfilling roles for employees: those where they don’t have to focus on unnecessary admin work and can spend their time on more strategic and creative tasks.
3. AI skills will become non-negotiables for many roles
As AI becomes more embedded into daily work, the skills teams need to support it and use it effectively will become mission-critical for many roles. Companies will increasingly hire more AI specialists across departments to accelerate its adoption and maximize its impact.
This is especially true in more technical roles. For instance, according to an App Builder report, nearly three-fourths (71%) of tech leaders say AI and machine learning skills are now non-negotiables for developers as they hire — even more than cloud computing skills, which 53% say are essential.
Hiring skilled AI workers for these developer roles — and many others — while important, is not easy. With AI and machine learning skills in high demand, 30% of tech leaders say recruiting qualified developers and IT staff was among their top challenges in 2025. While companies will still focus highly on hiring new talent — they must also simultaneously focus on upskilling existing employees.
Those companies that see the most success with AI this year won’t be the ones with the most AI tools. They’ll be the ones who invest in their people and create an AI-ready culture.
Key Takeaways
- AI in the workplace is set to transition from repetitive tasks to strategic decision-making, with a focus on AI training and seeing AI as a teammate.
- Executives are using AI for strategic work, but there’s a gap with employee utilization that can be bridged with proper education and role enhancement.
- AI skills are becoming crucial across roles, leading to an emphasis on both hiring specialized talent and upskilling current employees.
Many of the conversations we’re hearing around AI are still very future-focused. There’s a lot of hype around AI — and rightfully so — but so far, much of its real-world impact has only scratched the surface of what it’s truly capable of. This is especially true in the workplace.
Companies have spent the last few years rapidly implementing AI tools into the workplace with the intention of automating repetitive tasks, managing workflows and turning data into insights that employees can actually use. But executives’ high expectations for AI are often misaligned with how employees are actually using the technology: More than half of employees say they primarily use AI tools to double-check their work (54%) and draft emails, reports or other written content (52%).
While these use cases are driving efficiencies in the workplace, they showcase only a portion of AI’s potential. AI can play a leading role in day-to-day execution and strategy, too.
