Artificial intelligence used to be about speeding up tasks. Now it’s changing the way people work. According to Salesforce’s latest Slack Workforce Index, AI is now being used 154% more for creative and strategic work than just automating admin.
And as AI use becomes more hands-on and embedded in daily workflows, it’s bringing a productivity edge and a confidence boost, too.
AI is unlocking more than just speed
AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude were originally pitched as time-savers.
But today’s workers are leaning on AI for deeper impact:
- idea generation,
- strategic decisions,
- and upskilling.
In fact, 96% of AI users say they’ve used AI to help with tasks they didn’t have the skills for. The kicker? AI is helping people unlock new capabilities.
Even in South Africa!
AI use in South Africa
Salesforce Country Manager & Senior Director Solution Engineering for Africa, Linda Saunders, says it is “particularly insightful for us in South Africa that trends can be anticipated in our organisations in the near future.”
These trends include AI’s shift away from automating routine work and toward enabling creative and strategic tasks.
“These global insights affirm that AI’s potential to unlock human capacity and grow productivity is a universal reality”, adds Saunders.
“We are well-positioned to embrace these advancements within the private sector, and leading organisations across sectors will begin to reap these rewards by making decisive investments in skills and infrastructure today.”
Productivity, satisfaction, and skill growth
The Slack Workforce Index surveyed over 5,000 desk workers worldwide, and one of the biggest takeaways is this:
Daily AI users feel more productive and more satisfied with their work.
Compared to non-users:
- They’re 64% more likely to rate their productivity as “very good”.
- 81% report very high job satisfaction.
- They’re also 246% more likely to feel connected to their team.
Even job focus (notoriously difficult as the world becomes increasingly digital) is up by 58% among those using AI tools every day.
Millennials have overtaken Gen Z as the most frequent daily users of AI at work. Younger workers still matter, but they’re no longer the frontrunners.
Meanwhile, 30% of Millennials say they understand AI agents thoroughly, compared to 22% of Gen Z.
AI agents are gaining trust
AI agents (the ones that help with decision-making or complete tasks on your behalf) are growing fast in both usage and trust.
40% of workers have already used an agent, and among those using them daily, trust levels double.
They’re not just using agents for fun, either. Top use cases include:
- Writing and communication.
- Brainstorming.
- Research and deal support.
- Generating presentations.
Basically, the things that make you look sharp at work (even if you were drowning in admin before…)
AI use is still rising, fast
Since November 2024:
- Overall AI adoption is up 50%.
- Daily AI usage jumped 233%.
- Agent use grew significantly, with nearly a quarter of workers offloading tasks to agents regularly.
The AI hype has shifted. Where it used to be theoretical, workers are now testing the tools for real, and many are using them daily.
And with that comes higher expectations: People aren’t satisfied with AI that just sends emails or writes notes.
They want help with brainstorming, research, and creative blocks.
Slack research: the takeaway
The data paints a clear picture: AI is becoming a core part of daily work; it’s not just a side experiment anymore.
As workers trust AI more, they use it more. And the more they use it, the more strategic and creative their work becomes.
“When it comes to workers and AI, the data shows us that seeing is believing,” says Lucas Puente, VP of Research at Slack.
“As workers actually use and experiment with AI agents, their trust and enthusiasm in this technology grows, and we see them leveraging agents to unlock new skills and opportunities in their everyday work.”
That’s the difference between buzzwords and real change! When AI stops being a novelty and starts helping you do your job better.
