Krux
February 22, 2026
70% of Firms Use AI, Yet 80% See Zero Impact
Published: February 22, 2026 at 3:03 PM
Updated: February 22, 2026 at 3:03 PM
100-word summary
A new NBER study surveying nearly 6,000 executives across the US, UK, Germany, and Australia reveals a striking gap between AI adoption and results. Around 70% of firms actively use AI and two-thirds of executives spend 1.5 hours weekly on it, yet over 80% report no employment or productivity impact over the past three years. Firms forecast 1.4% productivity gains and 0.7% job cuts over the next three years, while employees expect net job growth. The takeaway: substantial ROI demands structured measurement frameworks, workflow redesign, and cross-functional governance, not just tool deployment.
What happened
A new NBER study surveying nearly 6,000 executives across the US, UK, Germany, and Australia reveals a striking gap between AI adoption and results. Around 70% of firms actively use AI and two-thirds of executives spend 1.5 hours weekly on it, yet over 80% report no employment or productivity impact over the past three years. Firms forecast 1.4% productivity gains and 0.7% job cuts over the next three years, while employees expect net job growth.
Why it matters
The takeaway: substantial ROI demands structured measurement frameworks, workflow redesign, and cross-functional governance, not just tool deployment.