Google and Ipsos: only 5% of workers are 'AI fluent,' but they earn 4.5x more
A Google-Ipsos study found just 40% of US workers use AI on the job, and only 5% qualify as "AI fluent," meaning they've meaningfully redesigned significant parts of their work around AI. Those fluent workers are 4.5x more likely to report higher wages and 4x more likely to report an AI-attributed promotion.
Among non-users, 53% said they don't think AI applies to their work. Only 14% of workers received AI training from their employer in the past year. Google's chief economist warned that failing to invest in training means "running the risk of losing ground to competitors."
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