Table of Contents
- How Are People Using GenAI Today?
- How Is GenAI Used at Work?
- Collaboration, Not Replacement
- The True Potential: Redesigning Work Itself
The adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is accelerating at a rapid pace. According to a recent McKinsey report, 71% of surveyed companies now use GenAI regularly in at least one business function. The most common applications include marketing and sales, product and service development, customer service, and software engineering.
Currently, content creation is at the forefront: AI-generated text, images, video, and music are reshaping how we communicate and create. It’s no coincidence that OpenAI’s latest image-generation model has gone viral across social media for its stunning creative capabilities.
But the real power of GenAI goes far beyond content production. Beneath the surface lies a broader potential: tools capable of solving complex business problems, optimizing processes, and supporting strategic decision-making.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the lesser-known, but equally transformative, applications of generative AI.
How Are People Using GenAI Today?
A study of thousands of Reddit and Quora posts reveals a compelling insight: the use of generative AI extends well beyond professional settings. Increasingly, individuals are turning to GenAI for personal purposes—to simplify everyday life, answer questions, boost creativity, or even just for companionship.
A chart classifying the 100 most common use cases into six major categories clearly shows that GenAI is being used for non-work-related activities too. Topics such as personal support, learning, creativity, and entertainment highlight the growing familiarity between users and AI.
This trend carries not only technical significance but also social value. GenAI is becoming a cross-functional, accessible, and inclusive technology, useful to all kinds of users regardless of their skill level or profession. You don’t have to be a programmer or a manager to benefit: all you need is a question, a doubt, or an idea to develop.
How Is GenAI Used at Work?
Generative AI is reshaping the workplace from within. It’s no longer just an experimental innovation—it’s an operational tool, already integrated into the daily workflows of many professions. It’s particularly prevalent in software development, technical writing, and any role involving analysis, content generation, or the automation of complex tasks. In fact, over 36% of roles now use AI for at least a quarter of their activities.
A study by Anthropic, based on conversations from users of its Claude AI, provides fascinating insight into which industries are leading the charge.
Unsurprisingly, professionals in computer science and mathematics top the list: they represent just 3.4% of the U.S. workforce but account for 37.2% of GenAI-related conversations. It’s a striking figure, showing how these fields are at the forefront of AI integration.
Marketing, arts, design, media, and entertainment also show high adoption rates, responsible for 10.3% of GenAI interactions despite making up just 1.4% of the workforce. The message is clear: where creativity, speed, and ideation matter, GenAI thrives.
And who’s lagging? Manual labor and service roles—like agriculture, cleaning, security, and personal care—still show very low levels of AI use. For now, many tasks in these sectors are hard to digitize or don’t benefit immediately from GenAI adoption.
Collaboration, Not Replacement
It’s worth noting that only 43% of AI-supported tasks are fully automated. In 57% of cases, AI works collaboratively with humans: supporting, advising, suggesting, and learning alongside the user.
In short, GenAI doesn’t just replace—it enhances human work. And the companies that integrate it strategically into their processes will be best positioned to reap the rewards of innovation.
The True Potential: Redesigning Work Itself
Generative AI is already a key tool for transforming how we work. It’s not just about creating content—it guides analysis, supports decision-making, simplifies complex tasks, and assists in continuous learning. It’s an AI that works with us, not instead of us.
At Neodata, we explore the most concrete and impactful applications of GenAI every day, helping companies drive real, measurable innovation. Because GenAI isn’t just the latest trend—it’s a paradigm shift. Embracing it now means preparing for the future.
AI Evangelist and Marketing specialist for Neodata
