A brand new survey has discovered that one in 5 are secretly utilizing AI at work, even when there’s no official coverage for it.
And for a lot of, it’s paying off.
Based on the ballot of 1,000 American enterprise house owners, entrepreneurs, and salespeople, 77% imagine the extra they use AI instruments for work, the extra assured they really feel within the high quality of their work.
Likewise, 75% imagine utilizing AI for his or her enterprise could make it more practical at competing with bigger and extra well-known companies.
Commissioned by ActiveCampaign and carried out by Talker Analysis, the survey discovered 82% of respondents who’re utilizing AI within the office are utilizing it for advertising — both in creativeness (52%), activation (48%), or validation (44%).
Many others are utilizing it for buyer help (31%), operations/individuals administration duties (28%), and product-related duties (25%).
However regardless of AI’s usefulness, 20% nonetheless really feel like they’ve needed to “sneak” AI into their work as a result of it’s not formally allowed. Though 48% mentioned they use AI of their work each day, 17% reported they solely use AI lower than as soon as per 30 days, and an extra 9% “never” use AI in any official work capability.
Respondents shared that the principle motive they aren’t utilizing AI instruments at work is related to numerous fears surrounding it. One in 5 respondents is worried about poor-quality output, whereas one other 21% of workers, particularly, are involved that AI will exchange their job.
Moreover, 19% worry that patrons and customers will lose belief of their enterprise, and 17% have heard unfavorable suggestions and opinions about AI use from different individuals.
Over half (57%) mentioned they’ve both had unfavorable opinions about AI themselves or have had unfavorable opinions shared with them from others.
Twenty p.c admitted they had been the largest critics themselves, whereas others discovered unfavorable suggestions stemmed from social media feedback (20%) or instantly from prospects and purchasers (18%).
“While some businesses are still figuring out how to integrate AI into their core operations, many have moved beyond experimentation to strategic implementation, focusing not just on what AI can do for them, but on how it creates measurably better outcomes for their customers,” mentioned Jason VandeBoom, Founder and CEO of ActiveCampaign. “We’re seeing people discover AI’s impact on their bottom line in real time, whether that’s increased revenue or time saved. Often, it starts with a personal ‘aha moment’ where they experience AI’s power firsthand, which then naturally evolves into professional adoption and business transformation.”
The examine additionally revealed that utilizing AI instruments in a extra private setting may help resolve a few of the fears individuals have.
9 in 10 have used AI for each private and work-related duties. And of them, two-thirds used AI for his or her private lives first, taking, on common, six weeks to totally perceive what to make use of it for.
In work settings, it takes individuals simply as lengthy on common to know it, however the payoffs shortly seem afterwards.
In a typical week, individuals mentioned utilizing AI at work saved them 13 hours of time. And it appeared to save lots of extra time the extra it was used: respondents who used it each day mentioned it saved them 14 hours per week, on common. Those that use it lower than as soon as per 30 days solely have six hours saved.
And through a typical month, AI instruments have saved them $4,739 in operational prices. This adopted the identical sample, saving extra money the extra it was used. Every day customers saved $5,038 on common, and rare customers solely saved $2,237.
Many mentioned incorporating AI into their firm’s workflow has helped them really feel extra environment friendly in finishing duties and allocating sources (39%), really feel assured concerning the high quality of their work (29%), and really feel artistic of their advertising method (37%).
They mentioned they discovered AI particularly efficient for sure departments, like advertising (82%), design and inventive (78%), and analytics (75%).
“Marketing is where AI really shines because it amplifies human creativity rather than replacing it,” mentioned Amy Kilpatrick, Chief Advertising Officer of ActiveCampaign. “Our survey shows 82% find AI especially effective for marketing because it handles the time-consuming tasks — like data analysis and content ideation — so marketers can focus on strategy and building genuine connections with their audience. The result is better work delivered faster, which ultimately benefits both the business and the customer.”
Survey methodology:
Talker Analysis surveyed 1,000 American enterprise house owners, entrepreneurs, and salespeople; the survey was commissioned by ActiveCampaign and administered and carried out on-line by Talker Analysis between Might 21 and June 12, 2025.
