It’s well documented that organizations have thus far struggled to gain much from artificial intelligence. Research from MIT and BCG suggests that organizations would be helped if they ensured that their employees also benefitted from the technology.

This boost is greatest when employees feel like their job performance, relationships at work, and autonomy are improved because of AI. Managers, meanwhile, can improve the use of AI by focusing on the understanding of how the technology is being used and by developing trust in it.

Indeed, when respondents felt that they personally gained from using AU, they were over 3 times more likely to be happy in their jobs than those who struggled to gain any value from the tech. It’s perhaps also worth noting that the vast majority of people thought that AI would work alongside them rather than replace them.

Mandatory usage

Interestingly, the study also found that making use of AI mandatory helped not only adoption (obviously) but also the benefits employees received from the technology. The researchers also found, however, that it’s important to give employees autonomy to override the technology should they wish.

“The value individuals derive from using AI is itself difficult to measure, partly because of the many ways individuals use the technology,” the researchers explain.

The most common value derived from the technology was in terms of gaining competence in their jobs and by using AI to make better decisions. Respondents also said that the technology gave them greater autonomy. There were also those who said that AI helped them to form better relationships at work.

“Lack of awareness can be a byproduct of the growing extent of AI use,” the researchers explain. “After all, AI is often a small but critical embedded component of a larger system. As a result, individuals underreport AI use and therefore the value they derive from the technology. Organizations need to understand all of these uses—both hidden and known—to understand how using AI contributes to individual and organizational value.”

The report suggests that if organizations, and indeed individuals, want to get the best out of AI, they should first focus solely on customer value and experience, then look at the clear benefits both the organization and its employees will derive from the technology. It’s also important not to make employees serve the AI, especially if it mainly benefits the organization and not the employees themselves.