Remember when people worried artificial intelligence would replace their jobs? Now, much bigger concerns are at play. As AI tools become workplace standards, employees fear they’ll lack the skills needed to succeed in the AI era. And according to Gallup, it’s your responsibility to prepare them with the right training and tools.
However, you can’t address what you don’t understand. Now more than ever, you need visibility into how your teams use AI tools so you can provide proper support. Let’s look at how to make this happen at your organization — starting today.
The growing importance of AI in the workplace
AI is rapidly changing the workplace — but not to replace jobs. Instead, employees use it to handle repetitive tasks and free up time for important work. Finance departments use it to automate data entry. Legal professionals rely on it for research. HR teams leverage it to write job descriptions, find talent, screen candidates and even evaluate performance — and the list goes on.
The results are telling. For example, did you know sales professionals who use AI tools for administrative tasks now have two hours more a day for prospecting and checking on customers? Likewise, marketers save five hours a week with generative AI to create outlines and write first drafts. Cybersecurity teams contain data breaches 108 days faster, and 59% of HR professionals say they now fill open positions “somewhat” or “much” better thanks to AI and automation.
Across departments, AI is set to save employees 12 hours a week by 2029 — or as much as $100,000 in annual billable hours for some professions.
Still, concerns remain. Nearly half of surveyed HR professionals fear the rapid spread of AI and a lack of technical knowledge may lead to misuse by employees. Others worry about accuracy — 39% of marketers say teams need more human intervention and training for people to use AI effectively at work. For employers, addressing these issues starts with knowing which employees use which AI tools — and to what extent.
The importance of tracking AI usage at work
According to IBM, 42% of enterprise organizations have actively deployed AI as part of business operations. Others plan to follow their lead, but many still have ethical concerns. In addition to a lack of AI skills and expertise, leaders worry about trust, transparency and data privacy — for good reason.
To maximize the benefits of AI, you have to mitigate the risks. But you can’t do both unless you have a clear view of how your employees use it. Which tools offer the most benefits? Which AI systems present security risks? Are any of the systems you’ve sanctioned proving to be impractical? Do employees use unauthorized tools as a result?
Thankfully, there's an easy way to answer all these questions — and more.
How to track AI use with employee monitoring software
As AI use continues to grow, employee monitoring technology is critical. These tools have long offered a range of benefits, from improving employee productivity to protecting company data. And now, a growing number of companies use them to support AI usage tracking.
Why? Because with a workforce analytics platform like ActivTrak, it’s easy to track AI usage trends. Organizations of all sizes and industries use employee monitoring to measure and maximize AI use in the workplace. Here are six effective ways to get started at your company.
1. Find out which AI tools employees are using
The first job of AI monitoring is to understand who’s using what. How many AI tools do people use? Which ones are authorized? Which ones are not? Do the latter pose known security risks? Using employee monitoring software to answer these questions as part of a larger SaaS visibility initiative is your first step to identifying the right AI tools for your workforce.
2. Monitor day-to-day AI usage
It’s not just what AI tools employees use, but how they use them that matters. Measuring software utilization allows you to see when employees use different AI tools, how they impact productivity and which AI systems and technologies are worth the money. For example, ActivTrak report filters show you how different departments use AI. You can also set up alerts to be notified when someone uses unapproved tools or engages in unauthorized activity.
3. Track AI tool adoption over time
In addition to day-to-day usage, it’s important to track how employees adopt AI tools over time. This not only reveals which tools are most popular, but also helps you stay ahead of training needs. For example, if you see multiple teams use a particular tool daily, you’ll know to add it to your new hire onboarding. On the other hand, if some tools are adopted too quickly, you’ll know to examine them more closely. Do those tools support true productivity, or do they provide shortcuts that could potentially lead to lower quality work?
4. Identify underutilization of AI
Are employees choosing not to use some of the AI tools you pay for? Employee monitoring will help reveal this too. Slow adoption may indicate a need for more training. Or it might reveal a tool people don’t need. Either way, you’ll know to take action — whether that means providing more training or reducing your SaaS costs.
5. Watch for AI-based security risks
As AI tools expand, so do security risks. Monitoring AI usage makes it easier to eliminate blindspots and stay ahead of potential threats. By actively tracking AI-based apps and websites, you’ll know when people use unauthorized AI tools or violate company policies. These detections allow you to protect sensitive information and reduce your likelihood of a costly data breach.
6. Discover the impact of AI use on productivity
It’s one thing for employees to say they’re more productive with AI. But how many hours do your AI tools actually save? The right employee monitoring tools tell you this, too. For example, ActivTrak’s productivity reports help identify your most productive teams and individuals. But that’s not all. Cross referencing this information with application usage helps reveal which AI tools and assistants contribute to higher employee performance.
Start tracking AI use with ActivTrak’s employee monitoring software
Ready to harness the benefits of AI in the workplace? Employee monitoring software is key. These tools provide the visibility you need to guide your organization toward successful adoption. And at the top of the list is ActivTrak, the top-rated employee monitoring solution according to TrustRadius and G2.
ActivTrak doesn’t just help companies boost employee productivity and well-being. It also classifies AI tools and websites to give organizations a more accurate picture of technology usage. Get a demo to see these reports in action and learn how they help you stay competitive with AI.
