Current trends in enterprise AI investment show high levels of financial commitment, but employee engagement with these tools remains limited. WalkMe’s State of Digital Adoption report indicates that 54% of workers avoided using AI tools and instead completed tasks manually within the past 30 days, while a further 33% reported not using AI at all.
The survey, which included 3,750 executives and employees across 14 countries in enterprises with more than 1,000 employees, highlights a difference in perspectives between executives and employees within organisations.
On trust in AI, 9% of workers report confidence in AI for complex business decisions, compared with 61% of executives. On tools and resources, 88% of executives believe employees have adequate tools, while 21% of employees agree. Regarding productivity, 81% of executives report improvements linked to AI use, while employees report losing an average of 7.9 hours per week due to digital friction.
The report also notes an increase in time lost to technology-related issues. Workers now report the equivalent of 51 lost working days per year due to digital friction, a 42% increase compared to 2025. This follows a previous decline from 43 days in 2024 to 36 days in 2025. Despite a 38% increase in digital investment year-on-year, the report states that around 40% of this investment is not delivering expected outcomes.
The report also identifies increased use of unsanctioned AI tools. Around 45% of employees report using non-approved AI tools in the past 30 days, and 36% report using them with confidential data. While 78% of executives say they intend to address unsanctioned AI use, 21% of employees report being warned about AI policies. Additionally, 34% of employees say they are unclear about which AI tools are officially approved. At the same time, 62% of executives believe concerns about unsanctioned “shadow AI” are overstated compared to the risk of underusing AI.
