Singapore – A recent report from Freshworks revealed a surge in AI adoption and investments, with 61% of business leaders confirming their organisations have accelerated their usage of artificial intelligence in 2024.
Along with this figure, more than half of the departments also shared they are planning to increase their AI budgets in 2025.
According to the report, employees spend three hours a day feeling frustrated and disengaged with their work tasks. This adds up to four and a half months of wasted productivity each year, costing US businesses $2.38 trillion annually.
It was further observed that employers are eager to eliminate busywork with AI, noting 92% of the respondents want to automate parts of their workday. Nearly half (46%) would consider changing jobs for the opportunity to use AI to reduce tedious tasks.
With AI saving time for 98% of employees, many are also channelling their extra hours into enhancing productivity (71%), mentoring peers (67%), and tackling creative or complex projects (66%). In particular, 38% of employees credit AI for helping them secure raises or promotions.
Meanwhile, leaders are also recognising the value of AI, with 68% willing to invest in upskilling their workforce through AI training. As a matter of fact, over half (55%) of leaders prioritise AI skills when evaluating employees for promotions, and 45% of senior executives are planning to establish and hire AI-focused roles within their organisations.
Findings also unveiled the demand for AI skills, indicating 38% of employees stating AI helped them get a salary increase or a promotion. Another 68% of leaders further said that they are willing to pay to support employees in taking AI upskilling courses.
Trust in AI is on the rise, with 30% of employees saying that their IT teams are to thank for increased employee trust surrounding AI. Among IT professionals, 54% further believed AI is driving more value than before, 67% call it a necessity, and 85% say it’s making their workday more enjoyable and productive.
Interestingly, despite the disconnect’s impact on customer experience, some customer service teams are beginning to reap the benefits of AI. Approximately 40% of CS agents say that AI bots and agents are invaluable to their workload, and 74% say their opinion of AI has changed for the better due to its increased capabilities and performance.
In addition, CS agents specifically note that AI is helping de-escalate tense situations (25%) and turn a poor customer experience into a good one (35%). About 51% said that AI allows them to learn new skills via saved time, and another 36% stated AI is driving more noticeable value than ever before.
