Workflow redesign unlocks real value of AI, BCG report finds
MASSACHUSETTS, UNITED STATES — A new report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) reveals that while artificial intelligence is now a routine part of work for most employees worldwide, only a select group of companies are truly capturing its value by fundamentally redesigning how work gets done.
Based on survey responses from over 10,600 workers across 11 countries, the report “AI at Work 2025: Momentum Builds, But Gaps Remain” finds that 72% of respondents use AI regularly.
However, “companies cannot simply roll out GenAI tools and expect transformation,” said Sylvain Duranton, Global Leader of BCG X. “Our research shows the real returns come when businesses invest in upskilling their people, redesign how work gets done, and align leadership around AI strategy.”
Frontline workers and regional disparities
Despite strong overall adoption, only 51% of frontline employees are regular AI users, a figure that has stalled over the past year.
The Global South leads in usage, with India (92%) and the Middle East (87%) topping the list. These regions also report the highest levels of anxiety about job loss due to automation, far exceeding the global average of 41% who fear their roles could disappear within a decade.
Training, tools, and leadership: The adoption levers
The report identifies three critical factors to boost AI adoption:
- Training: Only 36% of employees feel adequately trained. Those receiving five or more hours of training, especially in-person and with coaching, are significantly more likely to become regular users.
- Access to Tools: Over half (54%) would use AI tools even if not authorized, with younger generations most likely to bypass restrictions, raising security concerns.
- Leadership Support: Just 25% of frontline workers feel their leaders provide enough AI guidance. Where leadership is engaged, both adoption and optimism rise.
Workflow redesign unlocks real value
Companies seeing the greatest benefits are those that go beyond simple tool deployment to overhaul workflows. These organizations:
- Invest in people transformation and change management
- Track AI’s value through tangible results
- Report employees saving more time and focusing on strategic tasks
- See improved decision-making and engagement
AI agents: Promise and uncertainty
Three-quarters of employees believe AI agents will be essential for future success. Yet, only 13% say these tools are widely integrated, and just one-third understand how they function. As employees become more familiar, fear subsides, and agents are increasingly viewed as collaborators.
BCG’s report urges organizations to prioritize training and leadership support, measure AI’s impact on productivity and satisfaction, invest in workforce upskilling and workflow redesign, and experiment with AI agents to accelerate learning and manage risks
“Companies that reshape their workflows and invest in people are seeing superior results,” said Vinciane Beauchene, Global Lead on Human x AI at BCG and a report coauthor.
“But that transformation must be accompanied by a clear people strategy and development engine to boost adoption and tackle the impacts it will have on work, the worker and the workforce.”
