AI at Work from Productivity Hacks to Organizational Transformation 2026

Images: Getty Images, Unsplash Disclaimer This document is published by the World Economic Forum as a contribution to a project, insight area or interaction. The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed herein are a result of a collaborative process facilitated and endorsed by the World Economic Forum but whose results do not necessarily represent the views of the World Economic Forum, nor the entirety of its Members, Partners or other stakeholders. © 2026 World Economic Forum. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system.Contents Forewords 3 Executive summary 5 Introduction 6 1 The promise of AI 7 2 The reality of AI 11 2.1 The promise of AI is conditional 11 2.2 Trust and governance 12 2.3 Reshaping job tiers 13 2.4 Uneven adoption 14 3 The future of AI and work 16 3.1 Four imperatives to support workers in adopting AI 16 3.2 Three macro questions 19 Conclusion 20 Appendix: Questions sent 21 Contributors 23 Endnotes 25 AI at Work: From Productivity Hacks to Organizational Transformation 2