The Rapid Adoption of Generative AI

Abstract

Generative artificial intelligence (genAI) is a potentially important new technology, but its impact on the economy depends on the speed and intensity of adoption. This paper reports results from a series of nationally representative U.S. surveys of genAI use at work and at home. As of late 2024, 45% of the U.S. population age 18–64 uses genAI. Among employed respondents, 27% used genAI for work at least once in the previous week: 10% used it every workday and 17% on some but not all workdays. Relative to each technology’s first mass-market product launch, work adoption of genAI has been faster than the personal computer (PC), and overall adoption has outpaced both PCs and the internet by an even wider margin. Between 1% and 7% of all work hours are currently assisted by genAI, and respondents report time savings equivalent to 1.4% of total work hours. Potential productivity gains vary widely by industry, and firm climate and policies play an important role in adoption patterns. This paper was accepted by Alfonso Gambardella, business strategy. Funding: This work was supported by the Walmart Foundation [Grant 252882]. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2025.02523 .