A growing number of organizations have integrated artificial intelligence into their operations, but a new study shows that most are yet to realize tangible benefits.
Research by MIT, in collaboration with Harvard Business Review, Stanford Social Media Lab, and BetterUp Labs, found that nearly 95% of companies reported no measurable returns from AI investments.
The study highlights a trend dubbed “workslop”—AI-generated content that appears useful but lacks the depth or accuracy to advance tasks. Such content often forces employees to redo work, creating hidden costs for organizations.
A survey of 1,150 U.S.-based employees revealed that 40% received “workslop” in the last month, with only 15.4% of it considered valuable. Workers reported spending up to two hours correcting or replacing the material.
The researchers warned that while AI adoption has doubled since 2023, companies risk productivity losses if tools are misused.
