---
title: "AI at work — AI data 2026"
url: https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2026/ai/data/ai-use
year: 2026
chapter: "ai"
question: "AIUse"
section: "AI at work"
licence: "ODbL 1.0 (https://opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/1-0/)"
---

# AI at work

Organizational maturity is uneven. AI is optional and individual-led for 30%; only 24% report approved tools and guidance.

Asked as: Which of the following best describes how AI tools or agents are used at your organization today? (`AIUse`, single select, optional, v2026.1)

## Options offered

1. AI use is mostly optional and left up to individuals
2. Some teams actively encourage AI use, but practices vary across the organization
3. My organization provides approved AI tools and guidance for how to use them
4. My organization expects some employees to use AI tools for certain types of work
5. My organization measures or evaluates AI use as part of employee or team performance
6. My organization does not currently use AI tools or agents for work
7. Not sure

## Results

### All Respondents

n = 13,167

|  | Respondents | Percent |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| AI use is mostly optional and left up to individuals | 3,915 | 29.7% |
| My organization provides approved AI tools and guidance for how to use them | 3,154 | 24.0% |
| Some teams actively encourage AI use, but practices vary across the organization | 2,097 | 15.9% |
| My organization expects some employees to use AI tools for certain types of work | 1,507 | 11.5% |
| My organization measures or evaluates AI use as part of employee or team performance | 1,344 | 10.2% |
| My organization does not currently use AI tools or agents for work | 804 | 6.1% |
| Not sure | 346 | 2.6% |

In context: https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2026/ai/data.md