AI in the Workplace
What's Changing for Employees and What Companies Should Do Now
The short answer
AI in the workplace is part of everyday life at many companies. According to BCG’s “AI at Work 2026” study, 75 percent of employees surveyed in Germany use AI regularly. However, only 28 percent save at least one workday per week as a result; globally, that figure is 42 percent. According to BCG, companies that simply roll out tools without adapting their processes or training employees achieve significantly weaker results. This article uses current data to show which tasks are changing and what steps companies should take now.
5 key takeaways
- AI is first changing the nature of tasks: texts, research, analyses, and code are increasingly being generated by AI. Responsibility for the results remains with humans.
- Adoption is growing rapidly: According to the IAB, the share of companies using generative AI rose from 5 percent in 2023 to just under 25 percent in 2025.
- There are no signs of widespread job cuts: According to Bitkom, two-thirds of companies do not expect any impact on their workforce.
- Skills are becoming obsolete more quickly: The World Economic Forum expects that by 2030, approximately 39 percent of core skills will have changed.
- Employers have obligations: Article 4 of the AI Act requires measures to promote AI literacy. Companies must involve the works council early on.
How is AI already changing the way we work today?
Today, AI primarily handles specific tasks in knowledge work: it drafts texts, summarizes documents, analyzes data, and writes program code. According to the IAB Company Panel, just under one in four companies in Germany used generative AI in 2025. These companies employ about 40 percent of all workers subject to social insurance contributions.
In the construction, healthcare, hospitality, and transportation sectors, the proportion of businesses ranges from 13 to 15 percent. According to Bitkom, the remaining workers either do not have official access to AI or are unaware of it. The next step in development is AI agents that can independently process multi-step tasks and submit results for approval.
Which tasks will AI take on, and which will remain the responsibility of humans?
AI takes over tasks that can be clearly defined and verified. Decision-making, relationships with customers, and responsibility for results remain with humans. According to the IAB, 36 percent of employees subject to social security contributions will be working in occupations with a high potential for substitution by 2024. Technology could already take over many of these tasks today. Whether jobs will be eliminated depends on how companies redistribute the work. The overview shows typical examples from six areas of work.
An Example of Task Division Between Humans and AI
Does AI Cost Jobs?
So far, there has been no widespread job loss due to AI in Germany. In a Bitkom survey, 604 companies assessed how AI is affecting their workforce:
Nevertheless, many are feeling the impact of this change within their own companies: According to Bitkom, 22 percent of the workforce report that their companies are not filling vacancies or are cutting jobs due to AI. At the same time, demographic shifts are leading to a labor shortage. Bitkom therefore also sees AI as a solution to this gap.
Globally, the World Economic Forum expects that, by 2030, all major trends combined will result in 170 million new jobs and 92 million job losses. AI skills pay off: According to PwC, the salary premiums for jobs requiring AI skills exceed 20 percent in many German industries.
Do you want your team to use AI safely in their day-to-day work?
What skills do employees need right now?
Above all, employees need two skills: giving AI precise instructions and critically evaluating results. According to the World Economic Forum, about 39 percent of core competencies will change by 2030. In the BCG study, 72 percent of regular users say that the demands on their skills have already changed. Only 36 percent feel well prepared.
Specifically, the following skills are in demand:
- Describing tasks with context and the desired outcome (prompting)
- Verifying facts and sources in AI responses
- Knowing which data can be entered into which tool
- Guiding AI agents and monitoring their work
Article 4 of the AI Act has required measures to promote AI literacy since February 2025. However, according to the IAB, only 27 percent of companies using generative AI currently offer training.
Our article “Building AI Competence” explains how to go about this.
What should companies do now?
Companies should plan for AI as a transformation of their work organization. According to BCG, 67 percent of employees at companies with a comprehensive AI strategy report measurably better business results. With a purely tool-based approach, that figure is about 20 percentage points lower. These six steps can help:
- Analyze Tasks: Identify the most time-consuming activities for each team that have AI potential.
- Provide Approved Tools: Enterprise licenses—such as for Microsoft 365 Copilot—reduce the risk of employees using personal accounts.
- Establish rules: An AI policy clarifies which data may be used in which tools. According to the IAB, only 21 percent of companies using generative AI have such rules in place.
- Involve the works council early on. Under Section 90 of the Works Constitution Act (BetrVG), you must inform the works council in a timely manner about planned AI deployments. If usage data can be analyzed, the right to co-determination under Section 87(1)(6) of the BetrVG applies.
- Train teams: Training tailored to roles and intended use helps meet the requirements of Article 4 of the AI Act.
- Measure Impact: Track the time saved for each use case and replicate successful solutions across other teams.
Our article on the AI-first organization explains how this works from an organizational perspective.
Frequently Asked Questions About AI in the Workplace
FAQ on AI in the Workplace
AI has rarely replaced entire occupations to date. It takes over individual tasks, particularly when it comes to text and program code. According to the IAB, 36 percent of workers will be employed in occupations with a high potential for substitution by 2024. Whether jobs will be lost in these fields depends on how companies redistribute the work.
AI takes over routine work and frees up time for more challenging tasks. In the BCG study, 51 percent of non-managerial employees in Germany say that AI increases their job satisfaction. Twenty-eight percent save at least one workday per week. The benefits increase when companies adapt their processes and offer training.
Pursuant to Section 90 of the Works Constitution Act (BetrVG), the employer must inform the works council in a timely manner of any planned use of AI and consult with it. If the employer is able to analyze employees’ usage data, the works council has a right of co-determination under Section 87(1)(6) of the Works Constitution Act (BetrVG). To evaluate the AI, the works council may consult experts in accordance with Section 80(3) of the BetrVG.
Yes. Since February 2, 2025, Section 4 of the AI Act has required companies that use AI to implement measures to ensure their employees’ AI literacy. The AI Omnibus Act broadened the scope of this rule in July 2026: A fixed competency level per person is no longer required. However, the measures must be tailored to the employees’ knowledge and work context.
Questions about AI in the workplace?
Oliver Breucker will answer your questions about AI in the workplace at your company.
Sources
- BCG: AI at Work 2026, Press Release dated June 3, 2026
- IAB Briefing 8/2026: One in four companies now uses generative AI (May 5, 2026)
- IAB Briefing 1/2026: Technological Change and Wages (January 13, 2026)
- Bitkom: 3 out of 10 say AI could replace their boss (May 11, 2026)
- Bitkom: Corporate Survey on AI Adoption (September 15, 2025)
- PwC: AI Jobs Barometer 2026, press release dated June 30, 2026
- World Economic Forum: Future of Jobs Report 2025 (January 8, 2025)
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (AI Regulation), EUR-Lex
Researched with AI support, editorially reviewed by Oliver Breucker.
As of October 28, 2026.
This article provides an overview and is not a substitute for legal advice.
About the Author
Oliver Breucker
Managing Director ROOVER
Oliver Breucker ist Experte für KI-Transformation bei Roover und ehemaliger Strategieberater von Roland Berger. Mit Expertise vom MIT unterstützt er Unternehmen bei KI-Strategien und digitalem Erfolg.
You might also be interested in
Agentic AI What is the next level of AI? The AI world is currently moving from “AI responds” to “AI acts”. This is exactly where Agentic AI comes into play: AI agents that not only describe tasks, but also plan and execute steps. The short answer: Agentic AI are AI
AI has been around for a long time in many companies. But often without a clear plan. Teams are testing Copilot, ChatGPT and other AI tools, the first prototypes are running in specialist departments and some decisions are already being supported by algorithms. At the same time, the pressure is
AI Organization & Transformation 2. Dezember 2025 11 Min. Lesezeit KI im HR What really works and what you should leave alone Oliver Breucker Experte für KI-Transformation & Digitale Zukunftstechnologien The short answer The short answer AI in the HR worthwhile itself, when You Use Cases along of the Employee