Top Generative AI Statistics and 12 Trends To Know

Generative AI is changing the way we work, live, communicate, and solve problems.

From chatbots to image generators, generative AI tools are becoming part of our daily lives. People and businesses are quickly adopting this new technology to become more efficient. And get tasks done faster. 

But what do the numbers tell us?

To find out, let’s look at key generative AI statistics and trends that show how generative AI is shaping our world.

Key Statistics on Generative AI

Here are six interesting generative AI statistics that display the significance of gen AI in today’s rapidly changing technological landscape:

• 6 in 10 executives expect generative AI to significantly disrupt their industry in the next five years (MIT Technology Review, 2024)
• Generative AI could save time by automating tasks that take up 60% to 70% of employees’ time (McKinsey, 2023) 
• Nearly half of the general population (49%) have tried generative AI. And over a third use it daily. (Salesforce, 2023) 
• Generative AI technology is most popular among younger generations—65% of users are Gen Z or millennials (Salesforce, 2023)
• 84% of LinkedIn users hold roles where gen AI could automate at least 25% of routine tasks, leading to higher productivity (LinkedIn, 2023)
• Generative AI could raise global GDP by nearly $7 trillion over 10 years, which is more than the entire GDP of Japan, the world’s third-largest economy (Goldman Sachs, 2023) 

Read on to learn about generative AI trends. And what people think and do about them.

1. The Generative AI Market Is Growing Exponentially

The generative AI market was estimated to reach $36.06 billion in 2024.

The United States is currently the largest market for gen AI, with an estimated value of $11.66 billion in 2024.

And its global market size is expected to reach $356.10 billion by 2030.

Which means the market is experiencing rapid growth.

(Statista, 2023)

Image Data Source: Statista

Organizations are also increasing their generative AI investments:

• 55% of organizations have decided to increase generative AI investments (Gartner 2023)
• 95% of senior business leaders say their organizations are investing in AI (EY, 2024)
• 63% of companies plan to increase AI spending, while 36% will stick to the same budget. Only 2% intend to spend less on generative AI. (Lucidworks, 2024)

And the scale of those investments is significant:

• Generative AI investments by private equity firms reached $2.18 billion in 2023, up from $1 billion in 2022 (S&P Global Market Intelligence, 2024)
• 30% of companies are expected to invest $10 million or more in gen AI in 2025, up from 16% in 2024 (EY, 2024)

Gen AI’s future is also looking positive. Global generative AI investments could reach $200 billion by 2025.

In the long term, AI-related investment could peak at 2.5% to 4% of GDP in the U.S. and 1.5 to 2.5% in other major AI leaders.

(Goldman Sachs, 2023)

2. Generative AI Adoption Varies by Industry

That said, generative AI statistics show that adoption varies by industry.

While 65% of organizations regularly use generative AI (McKinsey, 2024), some fields are embracing this technology more rapidly than others.

Marketing and advertising has the highest gen AI adoption rate. With 37% of marketing and advertising companies already using generative AI.

The tech and consulting industries have the second- and third-highest adoption rates. With 35% of tech companies and 30% of consulting firms using generative AI.

Other industries are adopting gen AI at lower and slower rates.

For example, the teaching industry has a 19% adoption rate, and the accounting industry has a 16% adoption rate.

And healthcare lags at 15%.

(Statista, 2024)

3. More Than Half the Population Is Using Gen AI, with Young Professionals at the Forefront

Generative AI adoption is also rapidly increasing across various demographics.

Which is to be expected, as nearly half of the population is already using gen AI technology.

And over a third of gen AI users are using it daily. Especially among young professionals.

Image Data Source: Salesforce

More specifically, user statistics on generative AI show millennials or Gen Z make up 65% of gen AI users.

70% of Gen Z users said they use generative AI. And 52% of those users ask gen AI to help them make decisions.

In fact, a new group of “super-users” has emerged. And they are becoming highly proficient with the technology.

Over half of these “super-users” (52%) say that they are using gen AI more. And almost 60% of users believe they are on the way to mastering the technology.

(Salesforce, 2023)

According to generative AI usage statistics, the technology is also becoming very popular in the workplace:

• 88% of professionals worldwide, across industries, said they use generative AI tools (AI Accelerator Institute, 2023)
• 43% of professionals have used ChatGPT or other generative AI tools to help them with work, but 68% of them don’t tell their bosses (Fishbowl, 2023)

That said, 68% of people who don’t use generative AI belong to the Gen X or baby boomer generations (Salesforce, 2023). Which shows that gen AI adoption is slower among older generations.

4. People Are Using Generative AI at Work, Home, and School

Generative AI is becoming a go-to tool for administrative, analytical, and creative work.

In fact, 29% of 644 respondents from U.S., Germany, and U.K. organizations use generative AI. Making it the most deployed AI solution. Surpassing other machine learning technology (Gartner, 2024).

When asked why they started using generative AI technology, 48.2% of people said they wanted to speed up their work. While 22.7% said it was out of curiosity (AI Accelerator Institute, 2023).

Which means people are using gen AI for both work and personal tasks.

Here’s how people use gen AI at work:

• 70% want to reduce their workload by letting AI do as much of their work as possible
• 76% use it for administrative tasks
• 79% use it for data analysis
• 73% ask it for help with creative projects
• 86% use it for research
• 80% use it to summarize meetings and tasks
• 77% use it for planning their day

(Microsoft, 2023)

75% of users also want to automate work tasks and use generative AI to enhance workplace communication (Salesforce, 2023).

And 34% of organizations mainly use generative AI if it is integrated into tools they already use. Like Microsoft Copilot for 365 (Gartner, 2024).

At home and at school, people use generative AI tools and chatbots for a wide range of tasks:

• 38% use it for fun and entertainment
• 34% use it to learn about topics they are interested in

(Salesforce, 2023)

• 21% ask for creative writing and brainstorming help
• 18% ask for homework help
• 17% search for information

(Washington Post, 2024)

Looking to the future, 44% of U.S. business leaders plan to leverage AI more in the next year (LinkedIn, 2023).

5. Generative AI Adoption Is Different Across Countries: India Uses It the Most, Followed by Australia, the US, and the UK

Generative AI adoption varies across countries.

Some nations are embracing this technology more rapidly than others.

India has the highest generative AI adoption rate, with 73% of its population already using it. 

Australia is next in line with 49%.

In the U.S., 45% of people say they use gen AI tools.

And the U.K. shows the lowest adoption rate of the four, at only 29%.
 

Image Data Source: Salesforce

(Salesforce, 2023)

6. IT Leaders See Generative AI as a Game Changer

IT departments are at the forefront of generative AI adoption.

86% of IT leaders expect generative AI to play a key role in their organizations (Salesforce, 2023).

In fact, 57% believe that gen AI is a “game changer.”And 67% are prioritizing it over the next year and a half (Salesforce, 2023).

Image Data Source: Salesforce

Additionally, 38% of IT professionals at the enterprise level actively implement generative AI. And another 42% are exploring it (IBM, 2024).

Executives see significant potential in this area, with generative AI reshaping IT practices and capabilities from cybersecurity to software engineering.

However, IT teams are also facing challenges with implementing gen AI.

• 54% of organizations had to improve data security to enable their gen AI strategy. And 48% had to improve data quality. (Deloitte, 2024)

• 57% of IT professionals say data privacy is the biggest barrier to gen AI adoption. Followed by 43% who said transparency was the biggest issue. (IBM, 2024)
• 35% of IT professionals say that one significant barrier is a skills deficit (IBM, 2024)
• 56% say their IT investment budgets are holding them back from rolling out generative AI (MIT Technology Review, 2024)

7. Marketers Are Using Generative AI to Create Content Faster, but AI Concerns Persist

Generative AI adoption in marketing is becoming more widespread.

78% of B2B marketers and 65% of B2C marketers use generative AI. 

And 73% of marketers say their companies use AI-generated content, including text, images, and videos.

(Botco.ai, 2023)

Marketers use generative AI for different tasks:

• 76% use it for content creation
• 76% use it for writing copy
• 71% use it for inspiring creative thinking
• 63% use it for analyzing market data
• 62% use it for generating images

And they’re seeing significant benefits from using generative AI technology.

For example, 71% of marketers expect generative AI to reduce mundane tasks. So that they can focus more on strategy.

They also predict it will save them five hours per week. Which equals about a month per year.

(Salesforce, 2024)

In addition, 58% of marketers using generative AI see increased performance.

50% said it increased their creativity and cost efficiency. And 47% reported creating content faster. 

(Botco.ai, 2023)

However, concerns about accuracy and the need for proper training persist.

• 31% of marketers ranked accuracy and quality as their top concern. Followed by trust at 20%, skills at 19%, and job security at 18%.
• 39% say that they can’t use it safely. And 43% aren’t sure how to maximize its value. 

Which is probably why 54% of marketers believe generative AI training is important. Unfortunately, 70% say their employers don’t provide it.

(Salesforce, 2024)

8. Most Professionals Agree That Generative AI Has a Positive Impact on Work and Business

Organizations are already benefiting from generative AI.

An impressive 42% of organizations said efficiency, productivity, and lowering costs are the top benefits they achieved with gen AI (Deloitte, 2024).

Leaders say that they’re experiencing and expecting positive results from gen AI technology. Like the following:

• 47% of U.S. business leaders think generative AI will drive productivity. While 40% expect it to open new ways to boost revenue and growth. (LinkedIn, 2023)
• 77% of senior leaders report positive ROI on operational efficiencies. 74% are seeing an increase in employee productivity. And 72% are seeing improvements in customer satisfaction. (EY, 2024)
• 68% of executives believe generative AI offers more benefits than risks (Gartner, 2023)
• 60% of CEOs expect generative AI to boost employee efficiency (PwC, 2024)
• 46% of CEOs expect generative AI to increase profitability. And 41% expect it to increase revenue. (PwC, 2024)

And most professionals agree that gen AI is positively transforming the world of business. And how we work.

• 1 in 5 people say generative AI has doubled their productivity. And nearly 62.9% of them claim gen AI tools boost their efficiency by at least 70%. (AI Accelerator Institute, 2023)
• 26.7% of people said efficiency is the top benefit of gen AI. While 15.5% said increased speed and creativity were the top benefits. (AI Accelerator Institute, 2023)
• 38% of people say they save from one to almost five hours a week using generative AI tools. 37% save between five and 10 hours per week. And 11% save more than 10 hours per week. (Contentful, 2024)

9. Many Organizations Don’t Think They’re Ready or Have the Necessary Skills for Generative AI

Organizations want to prioritize generative AI adoption. But not all of them are ready.

64% of organizations see adopting generative AI as a priority. And around 2 in 5 executives want to adopt gen AI, whether or not they’re ready for it.

However, this urgency is often at **** with the reality of skill shortages and lack of readiness.

As 62% of organizations don’t think they have the right skills to carry out a gen AI strategy.

In fact, only 4% are confident they have all the skills they need. 

(Google Cloud, 2023)

In addition, 45% of leaders say they still lack guidelines or restrictions for how to use gen AI in the workplace.

And only 6% of companies have trained more than a quarter of their staff to use gen AI tools

(BCG, 2024)

The existing skills gap is a major barrier to gen AI adoption.

20% of organizations say they lack employees with the necessary skills to use new AI tools (IBM, 2024).

And 66% of organizations say their teams don’t have the skills to successfully use gen AI (Salesforce, 2024).

Which means more companies need to train existing employees to use gen AI. Or hire workers who are trained to use the new technology.

10. Organizations Are Worried About Gen AI Security and Accuracy

Generative AI offers many benefits. But it also comes with potential security risks. And can produce inaccurate information.

16.5% of people say security is one of the main challenges of gen AI.

And 36.1% said that they were more concerned about the biases, errors, and limitations that come with using gen AI. 

Image Data Source: AI Accelerator Institute

(AI Accelerator Institute, 2023)

On the security front, 83% of C-suite leaders claim they know how to use gen AI safely. But only 29% of individual contributors can say the same.

And yet, 59% of IT decision-makers reported that they don’t have a proper, unified data strategy to support gen AI implementation.

Which is probably why 71% of IT decision-makers are worried gen AI will pose new security threats to their data.

On the workers’ side, almost 60% of workers planning to use AI say they don’t know how to do it with trusted data sources or keep sensitive data secure.

And almost 73% of them believe gen AI brings new security risks.

(Salesforce, 2024)

Many users also worry about the accuracy and bias of AI outputs.

70% of business leaders are concerned about AI providing inaccurate information.

While 68% say that AI-generated content may be biased. And 41% are worried about gen AI producing errors and hallucinations (i.e., made-up information that seems credible).

(Google Cloud, 2023)

So, when you use AI, make sure you use a trusted provider. And always fact-check generative AI outputs.

Only 38.5% of people give gen AI tools a trust rating of 7 out of 10 or higher.

And 27.2% of people who don’t use gen AI tools also don’t trust them.

(AI Accelerator Institute, 2023)

However, there’s potential for increased adoption with better education and safety measures.

70% of people who don’t use generative AI would try it if they knew more about the technology.

64% would use it if it were safer. And 45% if it were part of technology they’re familiar with.

(Salesforce, 2024)

12. Gen AI Is Set to Boost Global GDP and Transform Multiple Industries

The economic potential of generative AI is impressive.

Financial forecasts suggest that generative AI could raise global GDP by 7% (almost $7 trillion) over the next 10 years (Goldman Sachs, 2023).

Image Data Source: Goldman Sachs

Gen AI’s impact on the global economy is projected to be substantial:

• The generative AI market is expected to grow from $40 billion in 2022 to $1.3 trillion by 2032, potentially adding $280 billion in new software revenue (Bloomberg Intelligence, 2023)
• Gen AI could add $2.6 to $4.4 trillion per year to the global economy. This would increase the impact of AI by 15% to 40%. (McKinsey, 2023)
• About 75% of gen AI’s annual value could come from four areas: customer operations, marketing and sales, software engineering, and research and development (McKinsey, 2023)

Overall, generative AI is expected to add value in many industries, especially marketing, customer operations, sales, software engineering, and research.

Accelerate Your Generative AI Strategy

Generative AI is changing how we live, work, and learn.

And it’s here to stay, if the current generative AI statistics and trends are any indication.

So you need to learn how to integrate AI into your workflows. So that you don’t lag on potential productivity and efficiency boosts that companies using gen AI are currently experiencing.

Ready to unlock the power of gen AI? 

Try these generative AI tools from Semrush:

Sign up for a free Semrush account today. And see how generative AI can transform your business.