According to a recent study by researchers at the U.S. Census Bureau, the use of AI in businesses in the United States is increasing quickly, especially in the information technology sector and in states like Colorado and the District of Columbia. Although the overall percentage of businesses utilizing AI is still low, it is steadily growing.
The percentage of companies using AI tools in the creation of products and services increased from 3.7% in the previous fall to 5.4% in February. It is projected to continue rising, reaching 6.6% in the United States by early autumn, based on the findings of the Business Trends and Outlook Survey released in the spring.
According to researchers at the Census Bureau, the adoption of AI by companies is still limited because many businesses do not see a necessity for it yet.
Only a small number of companies that use AI technology have reported downsizing their workforce as a result. In fact, most businesses utilizing AI have seen growth compared to those that do not. These companies are also implementing new processes, providing training to employees on how to use the technology, and investing in related services, according to researchers.
The use of AI in different industries varied greatly, with information technology having the highest adoption rate at 18.1% and construction and agriculture having the lowest at 1.4%. Larger companies were more likely to use AI compared to small and midsize companies, but surprisingly, the smallest companies used it more than midsize businesses according to the study conducted by researchers.
AI technology was primarily used for marketing activities, creating automated chatbots for customer service, facilitating computers in comprehending human languages, analyzing text and data, and recognizing voices.
Colorado and the District of Columbia have the highest rates of AI adoption among firms in the country, at 7.4% and 7.2% respectively. Following closely behind are Florida, Delaware, California, and Washington State. Mississippi has the lowest AI adoption rate among firms, at 1.7%.
The survey found that many companies are unsure about whether they will incorporate AI into their businesses soon or stick with their current practices. Two-thirds of companies that have not yet implemented AI indicated that they do not plan to do so in the future, and 14% of companies that have not yet adopted AI were uncertain about their future plans regarding the technology.
According to researchers, approximately 14% of current AI users stated that they do not plan to keep using AI in the near future. This could suggest that they are still experimenting with AI or using it temporarily, which may lead to them stopping its use in the future.