Workers report friction as companies expand AI use

Companies are investing in artificial intelligence for employees, but workers report that the tools can add friction instead of delivering the promised productivity gains, according to research from Ricoh.

The study found that 91% of business decision-makers believe their AI investments are delivering expected value. By contrast, 53% of workers said AI tools create friction or additional work, and 55% said time spent managing poor technology interferes with their productivity. Across four workplace technology categories—AI, communication and collaboration, data access, and workflow management—AI delivered the least productivity improvement.

Although 90% of decision-makers were optimistic about how well their systems connect, 76% of employees wanted systems to work better together. IDC Workplace Solutions Group vice president Amy Loomis said fragmented technology, data, and workflows leave employees to navigate avoidable complexity.

Collaboration difficulties were reported by 14% of people working from home and 16% of office workers, compared with 25% of hybrid workers. Ricoh also found that 45% of workers use non-approved tools, including shadow AI, at least monthly. The company said this makes oversight difficult for employers.

Four in five (81%) decision-makers said they invest in new technology faster than they support worker adoption. Ricoh North America chief digital services and delivery officer Bob Lamendola said organizations need to better coordinate the technology, information, and workflows they already have, and focus on where new tools such as AI are useful.