Dive Brief:
- Worker engagement in the U.S. is six points higher for people whose companies have implemented artificial intelligence than for employees whose organizations have not adopted the technology, according to new research from Gallup.
- However, that engagement disparity can’t solely be attributed to AI usage. While some of the discrepancy may be sector-related, the most significant differences came when companies offered direction. “Employees whose organizations provide a clear plan for integrating AI have a 15-point higher engagement rate than those without one,” the report said.
- Management might be the most important factor. Workers who said their managers actively supported their team’s AI use had an engagement rate of 48%, compared to 30% for employees who didn’t say this. Employee engagement increased to 53% when “frequent AI use, a clear plan for integration and active manager support” all came together, per Gallup.
Dive Insight:
In the first half of 2026, U.S. employee engagement remained flat year over year at 31%, with 18% of employees reported as actively disengaged, the report said. Gallup, which defines engagement as “employees’ involvement in and enthusiasm for their work and workplace,” added that since 2020, there are 8 million fewer engaged employees in the U.S. workforce.
In addition, less that half of employees (49%) said they “strongly agreed that they know what is expected of them at work,” per the report. Even though that number is up two points year over year, it’s significantly below the peak of 61% in 2015.
Meanwhile, AI implementation is on the rise as more companies adopt the technology and integrate it into daily workflows. But despite AI’s promised productivity enhancements, Gallup’s report found that merely offering AI isn’t enough to get employees enthusiastic about it.
“Employees are substantially more likely to be engaged when leaders introduce AI with clear expectations, a thoughtful implementation plan and active manager support,” the report said. “These conditions help employees understand what is expected of them, how AI fits into their work and how they should use it.”
The single biggest factor determining employee engagement is manager support, per the report.
“Gallup has consistently found that managers are the primary way employees experience their organization,” the report said. “That remains true as AI changes how work gets done.”
The report found that workers who frequently use AI with the help of manager support show engagement rates that are 14 points higher than the national average. In addition, managers who are involved and supportive tend to have conversations about AI usage, which in turn can create clearer expectations and help employees better incorporate the technology into their work.
“These findings suggest AI does not diminish the importance of management,” the report said. “Instead, they reinforce the value of managers who create clarity as work changes.”
A March study from Gartner found that nearly half of managers are experimenting with AI at work, compared to only about a quarter of employees. The report concluded that HR professionals need to rely on managers in order to improve the adoption of AI tools.
But managers may also be unequipped to lead an AI fluent workforce, a recent Indeed and YouGov survey found — and that could slow AI efficiency gains overall.