AI Usage in 2026: Numbers and Industry Impacts

By the time we hit 2026, artificial intelligence (AI) infiltrated organizations deeply. AI's presence is entrenched at a company-wide level — with a reported usage rate of around 67% — but not all employees embrace it. This uneven ground demands attention.

Key Takeaways

• AI adoption reached mainstream in 2026, with private use at 65%.
• Knowledge-intensive industries lead with over 60% adoption.
• Retail and manufacturing lag because of structural constraints.
• Leadership uses AI more than operational staff within firms.
• Organizations use AI, but daily worker integration lags.

The Core Shift: From Experimentation to Mainstream

AI stepped into mainstream territory by 2026 — evidenced by its 65% private usage rate, up from 47% two years earlier. Workplace adoption surged similarly from 26% to 41%, as noted by Ali Far. Yet not every employee interacts with AI daily; about half still do not use it professionally.