CALGARY — More than one in three Canadian workers are now using generative artificial intelligence on the job, highlighting how rapidly the technology has become part of the country's workforce even as many employees remain unconvinced it has a place in their work, according to a new analysis from ATB Economics.Drawing on newly released Statistics Canada survey data, ATB Economics reported that 35.9% of Canadian workers — including self-employed individuals — said they had used generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and other applications capable of producing text, images or computer code during the previous year.The broader use of AI was even more widespread. As of March, 41.6% of workers said they had used at least one AI tool or automation technology as part of their primary job or business over the previous 12 months..The findings build on earlier data showing Canadian businesses are increasingly adopting AI. ATB Economics recently reported that 19.2% of businesses across the country are using AI to produce goods or deliver services.The survey found adoption varies significantly depending on industry. Workers in professional, scientific and technical services reported the highest use of generative AI, with 65.6% saying they use the technology. By comparison, only 16.3% of workers in accommodation and food services reported using generative AI.Use also differed sharply by occupation. Three-quarters of managers (75.1%) said they use generative AI, making them the most likely occupational group to embrace the technology. Trades workers, transport operators and equipment operators reported the lowest adoption rate at 14.7%..Among workers who use AI, most said it serves as a supplement rather than a replacement for their daily responsibilities. Nearly two-thirds (63.5%) said they use AI for some — but not most — of their work tasks. Another 24.9% said they use it for almost none of their tasks, while 8.0% reported relying on it for most of their work. Just 3.6% said AI is used for every task they perform.Despite growing adoption, nearly two-thirds of Canadian workers have yet to embrace generative AI. Among the 64.1% who reported not using the technology, more than half (56.0%) said AI simply was not applicable to their work. Another 21.6% said they were not interested in using it..ATB Economics said the findings illustrate both the rapid emergence of AI in Canadian workplaces and the uncertainty surrounding how widely the technology will ultimately be adopted.While generative AI is already being used by a substantial share of Canadian workers, ATB Economics noted that its use remains concentrated in specific industries and occupations. At the same time, many workers either do not see a practical use for the technology or have chosen not to adopt it.The report said businesses, organizations and entrepreneurs continue testing the capabilities of AI, with those experiments likely to shape how broadly the technology is adopted across the Canadian economy in the years ahead.
