How are People using AI in 2025 ?

How AI is Transforming Work: Insights from Millions of Real-World Interactions

Artificial intelligence is no longer just a futuristic concept—it’s actively reshaping how we work today. But which economic tasks are actually being performed with AI? A recent study by researchers at Anthropic analyzed over four million conversations on Claude.ai to uncover real-world AI usage patterns. The findings provide crucial insights into how AI is augmenting and automating tasks across different industries.

Key Insights from the Study

1. AI is Most Used in Software Development and Writing Tasks

AI is being leveraged primarily in roles that involve programming, data science, and content creation. Together, these tasks account for nearly half of all AI interactions analyzed. On the other hand, jobs requiring physical labor—such as construction and manual healthcare procedures—have seen minimal AI integration so far.

2. AI is Expanding Across Many Professions, But Not Replacing Entire Jobs

• About 36% of occupations use AI for at least a quarter of their tasks.
• Only 4% of jobs rely on AI for 75% or more of their tasks, suggesting AI is complementing human work rather than replacing entire job roles.

3. AI is Used More for Augmentation Than Automation

• 57% of AI interactions involve augmentation—where AI helps users learn, refine, or improve tasks.
• 43% involve automation, where AI completes tasks with minimal human involvement.
• This means AI is acting more as a collaborative partner rather than an outright job replacement tool.

4. AI Adoption is Highest in Mid-to-High Wage Jobs

• AI usage is most prevalent in jobs requiring a bachelor's degree, particularly in technology, finance, and business roles.
• Interestingly, both low-wage (e.g., restaurant workers) and very high-wage jobs (e.g., physicians) show lower AI adoption.
• This suggests that AI is being used most where structured, analytical tasks dominate, but is less integrated where physical skills or highly specialized expertise are required.

Why This Matters

The study provides a data-driven perspective on how AI is transforming work. Instead of replacing entire jobs, AI is primarily assisting with specific tasks, making workers more efficient and productive.

For policymakers and business leaders, these insights highlight the importance of task-level AI adoption tracking to better prepare for shifts in job roles and workforce dynamics.

Looking Ahead

As AI continues to advance, the way we work will evolve. New AI-driven tasks—and even entirely new professions—are likely to emerge. Continuous monitoring and adaptation will be key to ensuring AI benefits are widely distributed across the economy.

Reference:

Handa K, Tamkin A, McCain M, Huang S, Durmus E, Heck S, et al. Which economic tasks are performed with AI? Evidence from millions of Claude conversations. Anthropic; 2024. Available from: https://huggingface.co/datasets/Anthropic/EconomicIndex/