AI training boosts productivity, saves firms GBP £14,000 per staff

Employees using artificial intelligence at work are saving around one full working day each week, according to research from the London School of Economics' Inclusion Initiative in collaboration with Protiviti.

The study surveyed nearly 3,000 professionals and 240 executives worldwide and found that staff using AI gained on average 7.5 hours per week in productivity. This translates to an annual value of roughly GBP £14,000 per employee.

Despite the measurable productivity benefits, the majority of employees reported receiving no formal training in AI. According to the report, 68 per cent of employees said they had not received any AI training over the past year.

Training and productivity

Where AI training has been provided, its impact on usage and efficiency is significant. The report found that 93 per cent of employees who had received AI training used these tools in their job, compared with just 57 per cent among those who had not been trained. Furthermore, employees who had participated in AI skills training saved an average of 11 hours per week, more than double the five hours saved by their untrained counterparts.

Dr Grace Lordan, Founding Director of The Inclusion Initiative at LSE, who oversaw the research, said:

"For business leaders, the priority is clear: closing the AI training gap is one of the fastest ways to unlock measurable returns. Equipping employees with the right skills doesn't just improve individual productivity - it drives sharper decision-making, accelerates innovation and creates stronger overall performance. In an environment where every efficiency counts, organisations that act now will set themselves apart from those still waiting on the sidelines."

The findings also challenge common assumptions about the role of age in AI adoption. The research team reported that training, not generation, was the primary factor driving successful AI use. For instance, a Gen X employee who had received AI skills training within the past year experienced greater productivity benefits from AI than a Gen Z employee without such training.

Diversity and collaboration

The report additionally highlighted that teams with greater generational diversity performed better on AI projects. Seventy-seven per cent of employees working in multigenerational AI project teams described their team as productive, compared to 66 per cent among teams with lower generational diversity.

Dr Daniel Jolles, Research Officer in Behavioural Science at The Inclusion Initiative at LSE and co-lead of the study, said:

"Our findings show the importance of recent and relevant training in helping employees engage with AI productively. For older generations in particular, training is key to AI adoption, ensuring their deep business experience helps shape how these technologies are applied. Equipping employees of all generations to use AI effectively and creating diverse AI teams helps remove age-based divides between employees, fosters collaboration, and drives stronger team outcomes."

Fran Maxwell, Global Leader of People & Change at Protiviti, commented that the introduction of AI represents a shift in workplace organisation and design:

"AI isn't just another tool for the workplace - it's a catalyst for rethinking how they organise, lead and empower their people. The organisations that will benefit the most are those that embed AI into everyday workflows, redesign roles to focus on higher-value work, and give employees the confidence to experiment. This research shows that inclusive adoption across all generations doesn't just improve productivity - it prepares companies for the next wave of change."

Risk management and organisational gains

According to Matt Duncan, Managing Director at Protiviti, the findings intersect with broader executive concerns about AI and talent management. He said:

"Protiviti's 2025 Executive Perspectives on Top Risks Survey revealed that AI and talent-related risks, including the availability of labour and skills to leverage emerging technologies, are among the top 10 challenges for executives. This research highlights that productivity gains can be made by investing in AI skills training across generations. Creating multigenerational AI teams is more likely to drive increased employee commitment, achieve organisational gains and mitigate these risks."

The report authors are Dr Daniel Jolles and Dr Grace Lordan of the Inclusion Initiative at LSE.