There’s a lot of optimism about AI at work.

According to a survey of 1,600 US C-Suite executives and employees by enterprise AI platform Writer and research agency Workplace Intelligence, 88% of works and 97% of leaders have benefitted from AI in some way.

In addition, nine in ten of both workers and executives are optimistic about their company’s approach to AI.

The issue is turning this excitement into reality – 95% of the C-Suite told Writer and Workplace Intelligence that their company needs to improve AI adoption, particularly when it comes to generative AI.

72% of the C-Suite admitted that they have faced at least one challenge with AI adoption.

Return on investment (ROI) is a big issue – while 73% of executives are investing $1 million or more on generative AI tools, only one in three are actually seeing returns.

Another major challenge is that “how much generative AI adoption is fueling internal division” – this was a surprising finding of the research, according to Alexis McBride, VP of Customer Success at Writer.

Speaking exclusively to UNLEASH, McBride shares: “Nearly two-thirds of executives say it’s causing tension, and 42% feel it’s tearing their company apart.

AI should be a force for innovation, not a source of conflict.”

On the topic of conflict, another shocking finding of the Writer-Workplace Intelligence report is that 31% of employees (rising to 41% for Gen Z) admit to sabotaging their company’s AI strategy.

Credit: 2025 Writer survey: Generative AI adoption in the enterprise.

Workers also admit paying out of pocket for their own AI tools, as the company isn’t providing the right ones (35%), which could be a big security risk.

This begs the question, how can organizations move beyond these power struggles with AI and reap the true rewards of the technology?

Organizations, how to get your AI strategy right

For Writer’s McBride, “the path forward is clear: organizations need a unified AI strategy that aligns IT, business leaders, and employees”.

Currently, at companies without a formal AI strategy, just 37% of executives say they’ve been successful at adopting and implementing AI – this compares to 80% of leaders at companies with a clear strategy.

Importantly, the creation of an AI strategy must not be a top-down initiative; everyone must share in implementing AI in their organizations. Organizations are full of AI champions (77%), who see the career benefits of being ahead of the curve with AI (94%) – companies need to leverage their expertise and enthusiasm.

Dan Schawbel, Managing Partner at Workplace Intelligence, noted: “The companies who will lead in the next era of AI adoption are the ones putting the right processes and systems in place today.

“They’re prioritizing their change management efforts, cultivating support for AI among their people, and ensuring they’re making the right investment in AI tools.”

Another piece of the puzzle is finding the right vendor partners, according to the Writer-Workplace Intelligence report.

98% of executives feel vendors shape the AI vision at work – with 70% thinking vendors have a significant role – but 94% are not completely satisfied with their current vendor partners.

Credit: 2025 Writer survey: Generative AI adoption in the enterprise

Leaders need more support with change management (52%), getting AI culturally accepted into the organization (50%), and with measuring and demonstrating impact (48%).

Companies that get this right—by investing in change management, selecting the right AI solutions, and empowering their workforce—will not only see greater ROI but will also create a culture where AI drives progress rather than division”, concludes Writer’s McBride.